Russian oil tanker, the Grinch, intercepted as US, allies escalate sanctions crackdown
The French navy intercepted a Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean that is suspected of being part of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of vessels used to export oil while evading Western sanctions, according to reports.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that French forces boarded and searched the tanker, which is already subject to international sanctions. The ship was reportedly sailing from Murmansk in northern Russia under the flag of the Comoros.
In a post on X, Macron said the operation took place on the high seas in the Mediterranean with support from several allied countries. He added that the vessel had been diverted for additional inspections.
French maritime police identified the tanker as the Grinch, saying it was intercepted between southern Spain and northern Morocco in the western Mediterranean. The interception was first reported by The Associated Press.
According to French military officials who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, France and the United Kingdom gathered and shared intelligence on the vessel prior to the operation. The incident is the latest in a series of actions by U.S. and European authorities targeting Russian-linked tankers as Western nations step up efforts to disrupt Russia’s oil exports.
Earlier this month, U.S. forces seized another sanctioned tanker in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. European Command announced the seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker in the North Atlantic.
France’s Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture said the inspection team that boarded the Grinch found documentation that raised doubts about the legitimacy of the vessel’s flag. The tanker is now being escorted by the French navy to an anchorage for further verification.
The European Union has imposed 19 rounds of sanctions on Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite those measures, Russia continues to export millions of barrels of oil, largely to China and India, often at discounted prices.
The “shadow fleet” is believed to consist of hundreds of aging, loosely regulated tankers that frequently change names, ownership structures, and flags to avoid sanctions and scrutiny. Maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence estimates the global shadow fleet includes roughly 1,400 tankers, many of which are sanctioned by the United States, the United Kingdom, or the European Union, Reuters reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized European countries for failing to do more to stop sanctioned Russian oil shipments, arguing that the trade helps finance Moscow’s war effort.
“Why can U.S. President Donald Trump stop tankers of the ‘shadow fleet’ and seize their oil, while Europe can’t?” Zelensky asked Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Russian oil is transported right along the European coast. This oil funds the war against Ukraine. This oil helps destabilize Europe.”
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