France to try Chinese captain of Russia 'shadow fleet' vessel
Rennes (France) (AFP) – A French court is to try the Chinese captain of a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" early next year, prosecutors said Thursday, after it was intercepted off the coast of France.
Issued on: 02/10/2025 - RFI
'Navy commandos'
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on X thanked "navy commandos and the crews of the French navy who intervened this weekend aboard the tanker belonging to the Russian ghost fleet".
Estimated to include up to 1,000 ships, the shadow fleet is thought to represent "tens of billions of euros of Russia's budget" and make up "40 percent of the Russian war effort", according to Macron.
The vessels -- which fly flags of convenience, have opaque ownership, and often turn their transponders off -- enable Moscow to keep exporting its crude oil for much-needed revenue despite curbs on exports.
The first military source told AFP that Russian ships were common off the French coast.
"Every day between 10 and 15 vessels from the shadow fleet sail off the coast of Brest," the source said.
Rennes (France) (AFP) – A French court is to try the Chinese captain of a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" early next year, prosecutors said Thursday, after it was intercepted off the coast of France.
Issued on: 02/10/2025 - RFI
French military personnel remained on board the tanker.
© Damien MEYER / AFP/File
Boracay, a Benin-flagged vessel blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet" of ageing oil tankers, was stopped by French authorities on Saturday, according to a military source who asked not to be named.
Shipping data analysed by AFP has shown it was positioned off Denmark during mysterious drone flights over the country last month, including over military sites, that prompted brief closures at several airports.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged Europe to "increase the pressure" on Russia's shadow fleet and follow his country's lead in detaining vessels used to fuel Moscow's war in Ukraine.
"You kill the business model by detaining, even for days or weeks, these vessels and forcing them to organise themselves differently," Macron told a leaders' gathering in Denmark.
He said on Wednesday France was probing the ship for "serious offences", but stopped short of confirming reports of a connection to the Denmark drone flights.
The captain and first mate of the Boracay were detained on Tuesday over refusing to provide evidence of nationality or cooperate with French authorities, according to the public prosecutor's office in the northwestern city of Brest.
The captain has been summoned to appear in court in February, but the first mate has been released, it said.
Boracay, a Benin-flagged vessel blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet" of ageing oil tankers, was stopped by French authorities on Saturday, according to a military source who asked not to be named.
Shipping data analysed by AFP has shown it was positioned off Denmark during mysterious drone flights over the country last month, including over military sites, that prompted brief closures at several airports.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged Europe to "increase the pressure" on Russia's shadow fleet and follow his country's lead in detaining vessels used to fuel Moscow's war in Ukraine.
"You kill the business model by detaining, even for days or weeks, these vessels and forcing them to organise themselves differently," Macron told a leaders' gathering in Denmark.
He said on Wednesday France was probing the ship for "serious offences", but stopped short of confirming reports of a connection to the Denmark drone flights.
The captain and first mate of the Boracay were detained on Tuesday over refusing to provide evidence of nationality or cooperate with French authorities, according to the public prosecutor's office in the northwestern city of Brest.
The captain has been summoned to appear in court in February, but the first mate has been released, it said.
Russia's shadow fleet is estimated to include up to 1,000 ships
© Damien MEYER / AFP
It was not immediately clear if the captain would be released under certain conditions or if the Russia-linked ship could go on its way.
French military personnel remained on board the tanker on Thursday, another military source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said.
It was not immediately clear if the captain would be released under certain conditions or if the Russia-linked ship could go on its way.
French military personnel remained on board the tanker on Thursday, another military source who spoke on the condition of anonymity said.
'Navy commandos'
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on X thanked "navy commandos and the crews of the French navy who intervened this weekend aboard the tanker belonging to the Russian ghost fleet".
Estimated to include up to 1,000 ships, the shadow fleet is thought to represent "tens of billions of euros of Russia's budget" and make up "40 percent of the Russian war effort", according to Macron.
The vessels -- which fly flags of convenience, have opaque ownership, and often turn their transponders off -- enable Moscow to keep exporting its crude oil for much-needed revenue despite curbs on exports.
The first military source told AFP that Russian ships were common off the French coast.
"Every day between 10 and 15 vessels from the shadow fleet sail off the coast of Brest," the source said.
The tanker left the Russian port of Primorsk on September 20
© Damien MEYER / AFP
The Boracay -- which has also been named the Pushpa or the Kiwala -- was positioned off Denmark from September 22 to 25, according to data from the maritime website VesselFinder analysed by AFP.
According to the specialist website The Maritime Executive, the 244-metre (801-foot) vessel is suspected of being involved in the drone flights over Denmark.
The publication said the tanker and other ships could have been used either as launch platforms or as decoys.
The tanker left the Russian port of Primorsk outside Saint Petersburg on September 20, shipping data showed.
Data from the Marine Traffic tracker showed the tanker was scheduled to arrive in Vadinar in northwestern India on October 20.
The Boracay -- which has also been named the Pushpa or the Kiwala -- was positioned off Denmark from September 22 to 25, according to data from the maritime website VesselFinder analysed by AFP.
According to the specialist website The Maritime Executive, the 244-metre (801-foot) vessel is suspected of being involved in the drone flights over Denmark.
The publication said the tanker and other ships could have been used either as launch platforms or as decoys.
The tanker left the Russian port of Primorsk outside Saint Petersburg on September 20, shipping data showed.
Data from the Marine Traffic tracker showed the tanker was scheduled to arrive in Vadinar in northwestern India on October 20.
France on Wednesday detained two crew members of a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized off the coast of the French western port of Saint-Nazaire, according to the Brest prosecutor.
Issued on: 01/10/2025 -
By: FRANCE 24
Navigator Second Master Timonier, Quentin, takes measures on a map of the North Sea on board of French Navy frigate Bretagne ahead of NATO Neptune Strike 2025 exercise on September 22, 2025. © Jonathan Klein, AFP
Two crew members of a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized off the French coast were taken into custody on Wednesday, according to the prosecutor for the western French port city of Brest.
The tanker is suspected of being involved in drone overflights in Denmark, and the two detained crew members "presented themselves as the ship's captain and his first mate", said Brest prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger.
The prosecutor said the preliminary investigation is focused on "failure to provide proof of the vessel's nationality" and "refusal to comply" with instructions, for which the maximum penalty is one year in prison and a €150,000 ($175,000) fine.
Earlier Wednesday French armed forces boarded the Boracay, a Benin-flagged vessel blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia's sanction-busting fleet of ageing oil tankers.
France is probing the tanker, anchored off Saint-Nazaire in western France, for "serious offences", said President Emmanuel Macron – stopping short of confirming reports of a connection to mysterious drone flights in Denmark.
French authorities have opened a probe into the Boracay, a Benin-flagged vessel anchored off France's Atlantic Coast that has been blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet".
"There were some very serious offences committed by this crew, which justify the current judicial procedure," Macron told reporters at an EU leaders' summit in Copenhagen.
Read moreEU leaders meet to plan defence strategy after drone incursions over Denmark
Built in 2007 and variously known as Pushpa and Kiwala, the Boracay has been anchored off Saint-Nazaire in western France for several days.
According to the specialist website The Maritime Executive, the vessel is suspected of being involved in mystery drone flights that disrupted air traffic in Denmark in September.
The publication said the tanker and other ships could have been used either as launch platforms or as decoys.
But when asked about those claims, Macron said he would "remain very careful", as it was not for him to establish a link between the Boracay and the drone flights.
Read moreDenmark drone incursions: All signs point to Russia?
The French operation, however, underscored the importance of European efforts to stop the "shadow fleet" of vessels aiding Russia to circumvent Western sanctions.
The EU has sanctioned hundreds of ageing tankers used by Russia to circumvent oil export curbs imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine to sap Moscow's war chest.
Among them is the Boracay, which was blacklisted in February under the name Kiwala.
The public prosecutor's office in the northwestern French city of Brest said it had opened an investigation following a report from the navy.
The probe was launched over the crew's "failure to justify the nationality of the vessel" and "refusal to cooperate", public prosecutor Kellenberger told AFP.
The tanker left the Russian port of Primorsk outside Saint Petersburg on September 20 and was due to arrive in Vadinar in northwestern India on October 20, according to data from the Marine Traffic tracking website.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Two crew members of a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker seized off the French coast were taken into custody on Wednesday, according to the prosecutor for the western French port city of Brest.
The tanker is suspected of being involved in drone overflights in Denmark, and the two detained crew members "presented themselves as the ship's captain and his first mate", said Brest prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger.
The prosecutor said the preliminary investigation is focused on "failure to provide proof of the vessel's nationality" and "refusal to comply" with instructions, for which the maximum penalty is one year in prison and a €150,000 ($175,000) fine.
Earlier Wednesday French armed forces boarded the Boracay, a Benin-flagged vessel blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia's sanction-busting fleet of ageing oil tankers.
France is probing the tanker, anchored off Saint-Nazaire in western France, for "serious offences", said President Emmanuel Macron – stopping short of confirming reports of a connection to mysterious drone flights in Denmark.
French authorities have opened a probe into the Boracay, a Benin-flagged vessel anchored off France's Atlantic Coast that has been blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia's sanction-busting "shadow fleet".
"There were some very serious offences committed by this crew, which justify the current judicial procedure," Macron told reporters at an EU leaders' summit in Copenhagen.
Read moreEU leaders meet to plan defence strategy after drone incursions over Denmark
Built in 2007 and variously known as Pushpa and Kiwala, the Boracay has been anchored off Saint-Nazaire in western France for several days.
According to the specialist website The Maritime Executive, the vessel is suspected of being involved in mystery drone flights that disrupted air traffic in Denmark in September.
The publication said the tanker and other ships could have been used either as launch platforms or as decoys.
But when asked about those claims, Macron said he would "remain very careful", as it was not for him to establish a link between the Boracay and the drone flights.
Read moreDenmark drone incursions: All signs point to Russia?
The French operation, however, underscored the importance of European efforts to stop the "shadow fleet" of vessels aiding Russia to circumvent Western sanctions.
The EU has sanctioned hundreds of ageing tankers used by Russia to circumvent oil export curbs imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine to sap Moscow's war chest.
Among them is the Boracay, which was blacklisted in February under the name Kiwala.
The public prosecutor's office in the northwestern French city of Brest said it had opened an investigation following a report from the navy.
The probe was launched over the crew's "failure to justify the nationality of the vessel" and "refusal to cooperate", public prosecutor Kellenberger told AFP.
The tanker left the Russian port of Primorsk outside Saint Petersburg on September 20 and was due to arrive in Vadinar in northwestern India on October 20, according to data from the Marine Traffic tracking website.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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