Tanker of Russia's 'shadow fleet' detained in EU — already the fifth this year
The European Union announced the detention of another tanker which, according to European authorities, is linked to the so-called Russian "shadow fleet". This is already the fifth such vessel detained this year by EU countries and the UK.
As announced by the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, the tanker MV South Star was stopped on July 20 as part of the naval operation IRINI, on suspicion of violating international maritime law. According to vessel tracking systems, the tanker sails under the flag of Cameroon. After inspection, it was located in the western Mediterranean Sea, heading towards Tunisia.
France is the most active in detaining vessels suspected of circumventing sanctions. Since the beginning of the year, French authorities have detained three tankers. In January, the Grinch was stopped, and in March, the Deyna, but both vessels were later released. Another tanker, Tagor, was detained by French naval forces with the support of the UK on May 31 in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the French side, it also used a false Cameroonian flag.
The fourth vessel detained was the tanker Smyrtos, which was stopped by British marines in the English Channel on June 14. The vessel was traveling from the Russian port of Ust-Luga under the flag of Cameroon and was carrying about 100,000 tons of Urals oil. The value of the cargo was estimated at approximately 35 million pounds sterling. UK authorities considered the possibility of selling this oil, and the ship's captain, Indian citizen Ajay Pant, was accused of violating the sanctions regime.
Operation IRINI has been conducted in the central Mediterranean Sea since 2020. Initially, its goal was to monitor the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya, as well as to combat illegal oil trade and human trafficking. In addition, Kaja Kallas announced that EU countries have expanded the powers of another naval mission, Atalanta, allowing it to conduct similar vessel inspections off the coast of Somalia.
The Russian "shadow fleet" refers to vessels used to transport Russian oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas in circumvention of international sanctions.
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