EU force boards Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean Sea

Key Points:

• The Italian Navy, leading a joint EU force under Operation IRINI, boarded the Russian shadow fleet tanker Toa Payoh in the Mediterranean on August 2 to verify its nationality and enforce EU sanctions.
• The tanker was intercepted west of Pantelleria, sailing under a Cameroonian flag, and initially resisted cooperation, prompting the Italian vessel Thaon di Revel to board with support from Greek and Polish forces.
• The two-hour operation was conducted smoothly and safely, with ongoing verification of the ship's documents, though no official detention of the tanker has been announced.
• Operation IRINI, launched in 2020 to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya, has expanded to inspect Russian shadow fleet vessels involved in sanction evasion and oil trafficking in the Mediterranean.
• The EU plans to extend similar joint naval missions to the Indian Ocean to intercept shadow fleet tankers, targeting Russia's use of aging vessels to finance its war efforts in Ukraine through oil exports.