EU Boards Suspected Shadow Fleet Tanker off Italy

An Italian-led European Union mission inspected a tanker belonging to the so-called Russian shadow fleet in the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday. The goal was to verify its nationality and flag registration.

The Italian ministry of defense reported that the tanker Toa Payoh, which is subject to EU sanctions, was sailing under the Cameroonian flag from Benin to Istanbul. The vessel was intercepted west of the Italian island of Pantelleria.

The ship's captain initially refused to cooperate, so Italian soldiers boarded the tanker from a helicopter deployed from the flagship of Operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini. The inspection, supported by a Greek ship and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft, lasted approximately two hours and concluded without incident.

Italian authorities are now reviewing the documentation obtained during the inspection. It is not yet clear whether the vessel was detained during the inspection.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on dozens of ships that it claims belong to a Russian shadow fleet used to circumvent restrictions on Russian oil exports following the invasion of Ukraine.

Operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini, originally aimed at enforcing the UN arms embargo against Libya, is now authorized to inspect vessels suspected of sailing under a false flag.

(Reuters, bak)