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Russian shadow tanker intercepted off Pantelleria
An EU naval mission led by Italy boarded the 'Toa Payoh', a tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet, on Aug 2, 2026, the second such operation in less than two weeks as Europe intensifies scrutiny of vessels suspected of helping Moscow circumvent oil sanctions. The tanker, subject to EU sanctions, was intercepted west of the Sicilian island of Pantelleria while sailing from Cotonou to Canakkale. It had switched to a Cameroon registry only last week. Maritime authorities launched the inspection to verify that the tanker was legally entitled to fly the Cameroon flag and that its registration documents were valid. Thr EU naval mission, named operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini, did not have the authority to seize vessels during such inspections, meaning the Toa Payoh was not detained. However, documentation gathered during the boarding was still being examined and could be used by national authorities for a subsequent sequestration if necessary. The 'Toa Payoh'’s captain initially failed to cooperate with the EU mission, prompting a team of Italian military personnel to board the vessel from a helicopter launched by the 'Thaon di Revel', the EU’s EUNAVFOR MED’s flagship. The inspection, carried out with the support of a Greek vessel and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft, lasted about two hours and was completed safely. Report with photo: https://gcaptain.com/eu-forces-board-sanctioned-russian-shadow-fleet-tanker/
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