In a remote southern corner of the Indian Ocean, in an area where one might expect tranquillity to reign, a full-blown maritime drama has unfolded. The French navy has intercepted a vessel belonging to the so-called Russian ‘shadow fleet’. The tanker DF Peak, according to official sources, was detained for flying a false flag and on suspicion of illegally transporting fuel.
French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking on the evening of 12 October, confirmed that the operation took place more than 450 nautical miles south of the island of Réunion. Interestingly, according to the Marine Traffic platform, the DF Peak flies the flag of Benin. This fact was a key factor in the French authorities’ suspicions regarding its illegal activities.
Macron emphasised that this operation was carried out in strict accordance with international maritime law and reaffirmed France’s determination to combat illicit trade. This detention was not the first in a series of such operations: since last autumn, France, together with its allies, has detained a number of tankers from this mysterious fleet, including the Grinch, Boracay, Deyna, Tagor and Deliver. All of them, however, were subsequently released.
The case of the tanker Grinch is particularly interesting. After its detention by the French authorities and the imposition of a fine of several million euros for flying a false Comoros flag, the vessel changed its name to Transformer and now proudly flies the Russian flag.
Meanwhile, in Brussels, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, issued a statement saying that the European Union is discussing new sanctions against Russia. Among the key issues are measures against Russia’s shadow fleet, which underlines Europe’s growing concern regarding these covert maritime activities.
The situation is escalating, and it appears that in the near future, the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ will find itself in the global spotlight, with its activities increasingly coming under the scrutiny of international law.