France Intercepts ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker Near Sicily

By AFP June 25, 2026 The crude tanker Deliver. Frank Behling / Marinetraffic France took control of a Russia-linked oil tanker off the coast of Sicily this week, French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday, marking the latest maritime seizure aimed at disrupting Russia's so-called "shadow fleet." "On Tuesday, the French navy boarded the oil tanker Deliver as it was passing off the coast of Sicily in breach of maritime law," Macron wrote in a post on X. The vessel, which was flying a Cameroonian flag and sailing from Russia's Baltic port of Primorsk, was boarded by French forces due to doubts over the validity of its registration, according to the French maritime prefecture. France's navy escorted the tanker to an anchorage spot for further inspections. Macron said the Deliver is tied to Russia's "shadow fleet," which is used to get around Western sanctions. To evade tracking, vessels often engage in what is called "flag-hopping" or operate under invalid registrations. "We will not allow the 'shadow fleet' to circumvent sanctions and finance Russia's war effort," Macron said. The operation marks the fifth time since September that France has boarded a suspected "shadow fleet" ship. In late May, French authorities, working alongside British forces, detained the vessel Tagor in the Atlantic on suspicion of flying a false flag. The ship's Russian captain was initially taken into custody but was later released. In response to the persistent evasion tactics, France announced a plan in April to double financial and criminal penalties for vessels that fail to display a valid flag or refuse to comply with naval instructions. Russian President Vladimir Putin has slammed the interception of Russia-linked vessels as "piracy." Read more about: France Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more How the World Reacted to Telegram Boss Pavel Durov’s Detention The Moscow Times has collected reactions from Russian and Western officials and public figures to Durov’s detention in France. 4 Min read Russia Accuses France of Risking War in South Caucasus After Armenian Arms Deal “Paris is provoking another round of armed confrontation in the South Caucasus, and they are doing it in different ways,” Moscow said. 1 Min read Kremlin Says 'Attentively Observing' Far-Right Gains in Europe "We are attentively observing these processes," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 1 Min read Biden Says Putin ‘Not Going to Stop at Ukraine' "All of Europe will be threatened, we are not going to let that happen," Biden told journalists during his state visit to France. 1 Min read