An interception off Sicily
On 23 June, the French Navy boarded Deliver, a Russian shadow fleet tanker according to French authorities, while it was transiting off Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. President Emmanuel Macron said the vessel was in breach of the law of the sea. French personnel carried out a control at sea, and the tanker was then diverted to an anchorage for further checks. The mission reflects a growing use of naval assets to enforce sanctions and verify vessels operating through opaque shipping networks.
A fifth French action since September
Deliver is the fifth tanker suspected of links to Russia’s shadow fleet intercepted by France since September 2025. These vessels move Russian oil and gas while avoiding Western restrictions, often through opaque ownership, changing flags and limited oversight. Macron said France would not allow the fleet to bypass sanctions or support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. The boarding came days after British forces carried out a similar operation against the tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel.
The case shows enforcement moving beyond economic measures. Boarding teams, maritime surveillance and flag checks now play a more direct role in European waters. France has already targeted Grinch, Deyna and Tagor in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
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