As reported by various sources, French authorities have summoned the captain of a tanker linked to illicit oil transport to appear in court this coming February. This move is part of a broader initiative targeting stateless vessels involved in the transportation of Russian oil. The current status of the tanker concerning an earlier drone incident over Denmark remains uncertain.
On October 2, it was revealed that Brest’s prosecutor’s office sought to prolong the detention of both the captain and chief officer aboard a vessel now identified as Boracay. This marks possibly its sixth name change since 2020, with three different names recorded just this year alone. Notably, Boracay has yet to be associated with its IMO number in major maritime databases.
Both crew members, reportedly Chinese nationals, were released later that day; however, the captain must return for a court appearance on February 23 due to allegations of disobeying orders from French naval forces who boarded his ship on September 27 while it was navigating along France’s Atlantic coast. According to reports from Associated Press, he could face up to one year behind bars and fines nearing $175,000.
The boarding stemmed from suspicions regarding discrepancies between the vessel’s declared nationality and its actual registration. Although claiming allegiance to Benin since September 1—a widely regarded false flag—the ship’s identity has raised eyebrows among authorities. Initially facing potential charges for misrepresentation alongside his chief officer—who ultimately faced no charges—the captain continues under scrutiny for failing to comply with orders.
This tanker has previously been sanctioned by both UK and EU entities due to its connections with Russian oil operations and has faced accusations related to AIS spoofing along with inconsistencies regarding its registration details since it began operating within shadow fleets around June 2024.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized their commitment towards ensuring compliance with international regulations during discussions at an EPC summit in Denmark. He stated that detaining such vessels disrupts their operational models significantly: “You kill the business model by detaining these vessels.” Following talks with European leaders, plans are underway for implementing strategies aimed at obstructing shadow fleet activities further.
While officials have refrained from linking this particular tanker incident directly with recent drone activities over Denmark—described as executed by “professional actors”—Macron stressed the importance of uncovering all relevant details surrounding those events.
Reports indicate that French military personnel remained onboard during Thursday’s developments; AIS data late Thursday still showed Boracay anchored off Saint-Nazaire after departing Primorsk in Russia en route to India carrying crude oil cargoes sourced from Russia.
