French authorities have charged the captain of an oil tanker believed to be part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of vessels used to evade Western sanctions on Moscow’s energy exports.
The Boracay, currently anchored near the port of Saint-Nazaire, was intercepted by French naval forces after suspicions arose regarding its registration and compliance with maritime law.
Prosecutors confirmed that the Chinese national serving as captain has been charged with refusing to follow instructions from the French navy. He is due to appear before a court in Brest next February.
The tanker, registered in Benin but known to have changed its name and flag multiple times, had left the Russian port of Primorsk on 20 September.
It was scheduled to arrive in Vadinar, India, later in October, according to shipping trackers. However, French forces intervened when it entered European waters, citing its inclusion on the EU sanctions list for transporting Russian oil.
French prosecutors noted that the captain failed to give a coherent explanation of the ship’s nationality during questioning. Alongside him, a second Chinese national acting as co-captain was detained but later released without charge.
Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the intervention, describing it as “piracy.” The Kremlin, meanwhile, distanced itself from the vessel, denying any knowledge of its operations.
French President Emmanuel Macron has previously warned that Russia’s shadow fleet may number between 600 and 1,000 ships, designed to obscure ownership and avoid detection under sanctions.
The Boracay has already drawn attention earlier this year when Estonian authorities detained it for sailing without a valid flag. Its history of changing registration is seen by European officials as a deliberate tactic to evade sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The case has also raised broader questions about security in Northern Europe. Last week, unidentified drones disrupted operations at several Danish airports and military sites, coinciding with the Boracay’s journey through the region.
While no direct link has been established, the timing prompted heightened scrutiny of the tanker’s activities. Danish authorities stressed there was no evidence of Russian involvement in the drone incursions.
At a security summit in Copenhagen this week, Macron refused to speculate on the Boracay’s potential connection to the drone incidents but underscored the importance of safeguarding European airspace and maritime routes.
Under international maritime law, naval forces are permitted to intercept merchant vessels if they have reasonable suspicion that the ship lacks a nationality. European nations argue that Russia’s shadow fleet undermines sanctions enforcement and heightens the risk of both environmental and security crises.
For now, the Boracay remains anchored off France’s Atlantic coast as legal proceedings advance. Its captain’s trial is set to become a key test case for Europe’s ability to enforce sanctions at sea while confronting Russia’s evasive energy export strategies.