Captain of a Russian Ghost Fleet Oil Tanker Must Face Trial in France - French Seize Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Oil Tanker Off Coast
A Russian oil tanker, previously known as 'Pushpa' or 'Boracay', has been seized off the French coast. The ship, suspected of being part of Russia's 'shadow fleet', is accused of circumventing the oil embargo by sailing under false flags. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for international cooperation to combat this practice.
The tanker was stopped by a French frigate near the island of Ouessant in the Atlantic last Saturday. It was later revealed that the ship had been registered under a false flag and was controlled by Estonia in March for the same reason. The vessel had set sail from Russia and was last known to be moving near the Danish coast between September 22 and 25.
The captain of the ship must now appear in court in Brest, France, in February. A second charge against the captain, failing to prove the nationality of the ship, was dropped. Despite this, the ship is believed to belong to Russia's 'shadow fleet', used to circumvent sanctions. However, no definitive proof of the ship's original registering shipping company or national authority has been publicly provided.
The seized oil tanker is now anchored about 30 kilometers off the port of Saint-Nazaire with French soldiers remaining on board. Macron has stated that detaining the ships for several days or weeks could destroy the business model of the shadow fleet. He has called for joint action by the so-called coalition of the willing against the Russian shadow fleet, highlighting the need for international cooperation to address this issue.
Read also:
- Unveiling the Less-Discussed Disadvantages of Buds - Revealing the Silent Story
- Grid Risk Evaluation Strategy By NERC Outlined, Focusing on Potential Threats from Data Centers
- Rapid Expansion in Organic Rice Protein Market Projected at 15.6% Through 2034
- Vantor & Lanteris Fuel US Intelligence with Innovative Tech
