The United Kingdom and France are preparing to intensify efforts against Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions on Russian energy sales, marking a significant escalation in maritime enforcement across European waters. France and Britain will become more active in clamping down on the Russian shadow fleet following a series of seizures this year.
These new measures are coinciding with Malta’s calls at the European Council to ward off the Russian shadow fleet from European shores.
The UK has authorised its armed forces to board and potentially detain suspect vessels in its territorial waters, with officials signalling that criminal proceedings could follow against shipowners, operators, and even crew found to be in breach of sanctions regimes. France, on the other hand is committing to more seizures.
These developments come ahead of a broader European summit expected to address maritime enforcement, particularly in the Baltic and Mediterranean regions. Several countries are anticipated to signal tighter coordination and expanded measures to curb sanction evasion.
Europe is increasingly moving from passive sanctions to active enforcement with these series of measures.
Footage below of France seizing the Russian shadow fleet tanker Deyna in February of this year.
Newsroom
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