Italian military boarded a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker: what the EU mission checked
Military personnel of the European IRINI mission boarded the EU-sanctioned tanker Toa Payoh in the Mediterranean Sea. The Cameroon-flagged vessel is linked to the Russian "shadow fleet", and its captain initially refused to cooperate with the inspectors.
Main points of the operation:
- Interception at sea: The tanker was stopped in international waters west of the Italian island of Pantelleria. Following the captain's refusal to comply, Italian military deployed from a helicopter launched from the patrol ship Thaon di Revel.
- Goal of the boarding: Verification of the vessel's nationality, the legality of using the flag, and documentation, rather than confiscation of the cargo.
- Participants: The operation lasted about two hours involving the Italian military, a Greek Navy ship, and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft.
Why the vessel's flag was checked specifically
The main task of the group was to verify the nationality of the Toa Payoh and the legality of using the Cameroon flag. The flag determines the vessel's state of registration, its jurisdiction, and the authorities' responsibility for complying with international rules.
Vessels of the Russian "shadow fleet" often change owners, names, and states of registration. This scheme makes it difficult to track oil shipments and helps bypass sanctions restrictions.
Toa Payoh is already included in the EU sanctions lists as a vessel linked to Russian maritime logistics. However, the boarding itself was conducted to check documents and the tanker's right to sail under the declared flag.
The EU moves sanctions pressure to the sea
Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI was established in 2020 primarily to monitor compliance with the UN arms embargo on Libya. Later, EU countries expanded its tasks and allowed it to inspect vessels suspected of using false flags.
The current operation is a continuation of the European Union's new practice. On July 20, IRINI forces already boarded the tanker MV SOUTH STAR, which was also linked to the Russian "shadow fleet" and suspected of illegally using a flag.
Thus, it is no longer just about including tankers in sanctions lists. European forces have begun conducting actual physical inspections of vessels at sea, establishing their registration, and collecting documents for further decisions.
For Russia, this increases the risks of using old tankers with opaque ownership structures and dubious registration. Even if a vessel is not detained immediately, an inspection can reveal violations, complicating insurance, port entry, and further operation.
Based on materials from: Reuters, ANSA, Kurs.com.ua on the previous IRINI inspection
