France Detains Captain of Tanker Linked to Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’

French police have detained the Chinese captain of a sanctioned tanker suspected of operating as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” officials said on Thursday. The arrest followed a French naval operation to board the vessel, which had been anchored off the country’s western coast.

Before reaching France, the Boracay tanker was spotted on September 22 about 50 nautical miles (90 km) south of Copenhagen. According to MarineTraffic data, drone activity in the area forced the city’s airport to shut down around 1830 GMT that day. On September 24, the vessel was again observed moving south along Denmark’s western coast, at a time when drones were reported flying near Esbjerg and other nearby airports.

Neither French nor Danish authorities have confirmed whether the ship, already under British and EU sanctions, is suspected of involvement in the drone incursions.

Brest prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger, whose office is handling the Boracay investigation, said a French naval warship intercepted the vessel last Saturday off the coast of Ouessant Island. He noted that the crew gave inconsistent information about their nationalities when questioned by French maritime officials, and investigators later concluded the tanker was effectively operating without a flag.

The captain and first officer, both Chinese nationals, were arrested for failing to establish the vessel’s nationality and for refusing to comply with orders during the inspection. However, prosecutors decided to charge only the captain, releasing the first officer. The captain’s hearing is scheduled for February 23. Kellenberger added that other aspects of the case fall outside the Brest prosecutor’s jurisdiction.

Macron Praises Probe, Highlights Russia’s Shadow Fleet
President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the investigation, noting that Russia’s shadow fleet is estimated to include between 600 and 1,000 vessels. Speaking on Thursday, he said it was vital to “get to the bottom” of the events in Denmark and stressed that Moscow’s shadow fleet represents a key pillar of its trade model, which should be put under pressure.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, said Wednesday it had no information about the tanker but added that Russian forces sometimes have to act to “restore order” when foreign countries take what spokesman Dmitry Peskov described as “provocative actions.”