French authorities have launched an investigation into the crude oil tanker Boracay after reporting a suspected infraction to the Brest public prosecutor, the French Navy said.
The vessel, built in 2007 and connected by UK and EU sanctions listings to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” has been anchored off the Atlantic coast near Saint-Nazaire since September 30.
“Following a suspected offense by the vessel Boracay, a report was made to the relevant public prosecutor’s office in Brest. An investigation is underway,” the Navy stated.
The Brest prosecutor’s office confirmed that the probe was opened after the crew failed to provide proof of the vessel’s nationality and did not comply with orders.
Ship-tracking data indicate that Boracay left the Russian port of Primorsk on September 20, passed through the Baltic Sea and the English Channel, and was shadowed by a French warship after rounding the north-west coast of France before heading toward Saint-Nazaire. Industry databases list the vessel under the Benin flag.
According to sanctions records, Boracay is the same hull previously listed by the UK as Varuna on October 17, 2024, and by the EU as Kiwala on February 25, 2025. The tanker has also appeared in some databases as Pushpa following late-2024 name changes.
Earlier in 2025, Estonian authorities detained the vessel under the name Kiwala after an inspection identified 40 deficiencies, mostly related to documentation and safety management. The ship was released in April after a re-inspection confirmed corrective actions.
France’s investigation comes amid European efforts to tighten enforcement against older and opaque tankers transporting Russian crude outside G7 price-cap rules. The opening of a formal probe, even without a public detention order, may delay voyages and complicate insurance and port access for the vessel.
The French Navy (Marine nationale) is a branch of the French Armed Forces under the authority of the Ministry of the Armed Forces. It is responsible for maritime defense, surveillance, and enforcement of national and international maritime law.
