The French Navy intercepted and boarded a crude oil tanker over suspected false-flag registration and illegal fuel transportation off the coast of Réunion, French president Emmanuel Macron said.
President Emmanuel Macron framed the operation as part of a sustained campaign against the so-called shadow fleet.
The French Joint defense staff said the operation aimed to verify the nationality of the vessel.
A boarding team examined the ship’s documents and confirmed doubts over the regularity of the flag flown.
The Joint defense staff said the boarding was carried out under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
At the request of the public prosecutor, the tanker was then diverted under escort by French naval forces.
The operation took place on Monday morning, Oct. 12, more than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion.
“France is determined to combat the ghost fleet, wherever it may be in the world,” Macron wrote on X.
In a social media post accompanied by video that appeared to show commandos descending onto the ship’s deck, the president said the tanker was suspected of sailing under a false flag and engaging in illicit fuel transport.
Macron said the operation followed international maritime law and showed France’s determination to combat illegal trafficking.
French authorities have not yet announced whether they will confiscate the vessel or its cargo.
Macron vowed no let-up in the struggle against the “shadow fleet” – a term used for the clandestine network of ships used by Russia to circumvent Western embargoes since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The French president’s announcement comes amidst European concern regarding the future of the war in Ukraine.
