[78474] France seized a Russian oil tanker; experts warn of an environmental disaster from the shadow fleet

France intensifies the fight against the Russian 'shadow fleet'

During an operation in Atlantic Ocean waters, French Navy forces seized the Russian oil tanker 'Tagor'. The ship is considered part of the 'shadow fleet' that Russia operates to bypass international sanctions. As reported by Цензор.НЕТ, President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the operation was carried out in coordination with international partners, including Britain, and in accordance with international maritime law. According to DW Україна, the ship sailed under the flag of Panama and was subject to sanctions by the European Union, the US, and Britain.

President Macron stated, as quoted by Фокус, that it is unacceptable for vessels to fund the war against Ukraine while blatantly violating international law and endangering maritime and environmental safety. SPRAVDI emphasized that this is not the first time France has acted against these ships, as three such tankers have already been seized since last September.

At the same time, an analysis by the Financial Times, cited by many media outlets, presents a worrying picture regarding the maintenance status of the Russian fleet. According to Anil Sharma, CEO of the ship recycling company GMS, over half of the 1,500 oil tankers that make up the 'shadow fleet' are in a critical technical state and are endangering the world with an "ecological disaster" on a scale similar to historical oil disasters. As noted by Новини Еспресо.TV, most of these vessels are over 20 years old and operate without proper insurance or skilled crews.

Experts in the shipping industry estimate that at least a third of the fleet requires immediate scrapping. The situation is exacerbated by the use of old ships as floating storage facilities due to navigation restrictions in places like the Strait of Hormuz, which significantly increases the risk of massive oil spills, as explained by UA Stream.