Italian military detains a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet: what is known
3 August 15:05
On Sunday, August 2, the flagship of the EU mission EUNAVFOR MED IRINI — the tanker ITS Thaon di Revel, in cooperation with the Italian military, inspected the sanctioned oil tanker Toa Payoh, which belongs to Russia’s shadow fleet, to verify its flag and nationality.
This was reported by the Italian Ministry of Defense, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“I would like to congratulate the crew of the ITS Thaon di Revel and all the military personnel involved in the operation for the professionalism, preparedness, and determination they have demonstrated. This operation once again serves as strong evidence of Italy’s contribution to security in the Mediterranean and the efforts of the European Union,” said Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
It is noted that the Russian tanker flying the Cameroonian flag was intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea, west of the Italian island of Pantelleria. The vessel had departed from the port of Cotonou in Benin, Africa, and was headed for Istanbul.
Since the tanker’s captain initially refused to provide information about the vessel, an Italian military boarding team was deployed by helicopter from the flagship ITS Thaon di Revel and conducted the necessary inspection.
“The operation, carried out with the support of a Greek naval vessel and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft, lasted approximately two hours and was completed safely and without incident,” the statement said.
The agency added that the operation was conducted in international waters in accordance with a European mandate and in strict compliance with Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This provision grants military vessels the right to verify the flag and nationality of civilian vessels.
The information and documentation collected during the inspection are currently being reviewed.
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Russia’s Shadow Fleet and International Sanctions
Russia has created a shadow fleet—a network of oil tankers used to circumvent international sanctions imposed due to its aggression against Ukraine. This fleet allows the Kremlin to continue exporting oil, particularly to China and India, even after restrictions on Russian oil imports to the EU were imposed.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Russia’s shadow fleet consists of over a thousand tankers, including 238 vessels actively involved in circumventing sanctions. These tankers frequently change flags, disable tracking systems, and operate without proper insurance, making them difficult to detect and identify.
The international community is actively responding to this problem. The European Union has repeatedly expanded its sanctions lists to include vessels linked to the shadow fleet; in the 15th package of EU sanctions, it added several dozen more vessels involved in the illegal transport of Russian oil.
In addition, Australia imposed sanctions for the first time against 60 shadow fleet vessels, and Canada announced sanctions against more than 200 vessels used to circumvent sanctions.
Despite these international efforts, Russia continues to use the shadow fleet to advance its economic interests and finance military operations.
On January 22, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the French navy had intercepted a tanker bound for Russia.
On February 9, the U.S. Department of Defense announced the interception of the tanker Aquila II for “violating quarantine measures.” This vessel is linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
On March 1, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Franken reported that his country had detained an oil tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga expressed gratitude for this action.
On April 3, the Swedish Coast Guard stopped the tanker Flora 1—the vessel is suspected of causing an oil spill near the island of Gotland. The tanker is on the EU and Ukrainian sanctions lists and, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate, is part of Russia’s shadow fleet.
On April 25, the U.S. Navy intercepted the Russian shadow fleet vessel M/V Sevan in the Arabian Sea. The tanker was among 19 shadow fleet vessels sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for transporting Iranian oil and gas—including “propane and butane—to foreign markets worth billions of dollars.”
On June 14, the British Armed Forces intercepted a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker early in the morning as it attempted to pass through the English Channel.
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