France Seizes Deliver Tanker Linked to Russia's Shadow Fleet

The French Navy seized another oil tanker that, it claimed, was linked to Russia's "shadow fleet," underscoring this year's escalation in European efforts to enforce sanctions and choke off one of Moscow's main sources of revenue.

Nine vessels suspected of belonging to the shadow fleet – ships that transport oil and gas to circumvent Western penalties – have now been seized across Europe since the beginning of 2026, including four by France.

For its part, Great Britain seized an oil tanker in the English Channel on June 14.

Three other oil tankers suspected of belonging to the shadow fleet have been inspected as part of a European naval mission in the Mediterranean, a Western military source reported.

In this context, French President Emmanuel Macron commented that "the National Navy intercepted the oil tanker Deliver on Tuesday (June 23) while it was transiting off the coast of Sicily in violation of maritime law. This new action against the ghost fleet, carried out a few days after a similar operation by the United Kingdom, illustrates the determination of Europeans."

"We will not let the ghost fleet circumvent sanctions and finance the Russian war effort. Europe is determined. It will pursue all necessary efforts to increase the cost of the war for Russia and allow for the arrival of a robust and lasting peace in Ukraine," he added.

For her part, Catherine Vautrin, French Minister of the Armed Forces, stated that "curbing the Russian war economy means cutting off the circuits that finance the aggression against Ukraine. The Russian ghost fleet circumvents international sanctions in contempt of the law: false flags, lack of insurance, ignored safety standards. Their activities represent a direct threat to maritime safety and the environment."

"In the face of these illegal practices, the National Navy, together with its partners, has boarded the oil tanker Deliver, originating from Russia and suspected of flying a false flag. I salute the commitment, professionalism, and determination of our sailors, who uphold international law and defend our security interests," she added.

The oil tanker had sailed from Primorsk, one of Russia's main export terminals, and was intercepted near Sicily while heading towards the Suez Canal en route to Singapore.

European Union countries are currently negotiating a twenty-first package of sanctions against Russia. However, Moscow has adapted to most measures and continues to sell millions of barrels of oil to countries like India and China, usually at reduced prices.

Much of the crude is transported by the so-called "shadow fleet," which operates outside the Western maritime industry.

The military source noted that the Deliver was operating under the Cameroonian flag, despite having been formally delisted from that country's registry weeks earlier, meaning it was sailing without nationality and violating international maritime law. This allowed France to board and detain the vessel, the source added.

Cameroonian authorities have warned about the increasing misuse of the African country's flag by sanctioned vessels and ships linked to Russia's shadow fleet, which often uses old oil tankers through opaque ownership structures to evade oversight.

Since the beginning of the year, European countries have intensified detentions and inspections on critical maritime routes, such as the Baltic Sea, the English Channel, and the Mediterranean, all of which are key for Russian oil exports to Asian markets.