France Seizes Oil Tanker Departing Russia in Mediterranean

The French Navy boarded a sanctioned oil tanker on Jan. 22 that departed from Russia while sailing under a false flag in the Mediterranean Sea, according to French President Emmanuel Macron.

The operation was carried out with several allies and in strict compliance with the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Macron said.

“We are determined to uphold international law and to ensure the effective enforcement of sanctions,” he posted in a statement on X. “The activities of the ‘shadow fleet’ contribute to financing the war of aggression against Ukraine.”

France’s navy worked with intelligence provided by the UK to intercept the ship, the Grinch, which departed from Murmansk, Russia, the navy reported. The navy is escorting the ship to an anchorage for more checks.

France has opened an investigation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the capture, thanking Macron.

“This is exactly the kind of resolve needed to ensure that Russian oil no longer finances Russia’s war,” Zelenskyy posted on X. “Russian tankers operating near European shores must be stopped. Sanctions against the entire infrastructure of the shadow fleet must be tough. Vessels must be apprehended. And wouldn’t it be fair to confiscate and sell the oil carried by these tankers?”

In September, the French Navy boarded another oil tanker, Boracay, off the coast of western France that Macron claimed was also part of Russia’s shadow fleet and linked to drone incidents in Denmark and Norway.

France detained two crew members of the vessel and opened an investigation after they allegedly refused to cooperate and identify the nationality of the vessel. The tanker’s captain is expected to go on trial in February, according to French judicial authorities.

The capture is the latest to be seized as the United States and European Union tighten sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed “grave concern” on Jan. 7 after the United States seized an oil tanker, the Marinera, in the Caribbean Sea, calling it a gross violation of international maritime law and freedom of navigation.

Oil revenue has become the cornerstone of Russia’s economy over the past few years amid heavy sanctions from the West, generating almost $1 trillion since the war in Ukraine began, according to the Statista Research Department.

The EU has banned imports of refined petroleum products derived from Russian-origin crude oil and seaborne crude from Russia.

About half of Russia’s oil exports are sold to the EU, totaling $71 billion in 2021.

The EU has also banned the import of Russian coal and liquified petroleum gas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.