French authorities have seized the tanker Deliver (IMO: 9194983) off the coast of Sicily, saying the vessel is linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” French President Emmanuel Macron announced the detention on social media on June 25.
Macron’s statement was published on his official X account, where he also posted video of the operation to seize the vessel.
“The French Navy intercepted the tanker Deliver on Tuesday as it transited off the coast of Sicily in violation of maritime law.
This latest action against the shadow fleet, conducted just days after a similar operation by the United Kingdom, illustrates the resolve of the Europeans. We will not allow the shadow fleet to evade sanctions and fund Russia's war effort.
Europe is determined. It will pursue all necessary efforts to increase the cost of the war for Russia and enable the emergence of a robust and lasting peace in Ukraine,” the tweet read.
France’s Mediterranean maritime prefecture said the issue concerned the legality of the vessel’s flag use. According to open-source data, the tanker was sailing under the flag of Cameroon.
The use of a false flag is a frequent practice used by “shadow fleet” tankers. These vessels are harder to track, and without registration in any recognized jurisdiction there is effectively no state guaranteeing the safety and legality of their navigation. However, The Insider found that analysts at Equasis and Starboard Maritime Intelligence had not flagged the tanker as suspected of using a false flag. The validity of its insurance, however, is in question.
France’s Mediterranean maritime prefecture confirmed that the vessel was detained Tuesday, June 23. The case is now being handled by the Marseille prosecutor’s office, and the vessel is being escorted to an anchorage.
It is impossible to track the ship’s route following its detention. According to data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the vessel switched off its transponder on June 23 and disappeared from radar that morning.
The tanker left the Russian port of Primorsk on June 5. It is under sanctions imposed by the EU, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, and New Zealand over its links to Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
Macron’s tweet also mentioned a “similar operation by the UK,” likely referring to the interception and seizure of the tanker Smyrtos in the English channel overnight into June 14. The Insider observed that other “shadow fleet” vessels in the strait began turning around and changing routes after that operation.
