Italian Forces Board Sanctioned Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker in Mediterranean

Italian military personnel boarded the EU-sanctioned oil tanker Toa Payoh, a vessel linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, after its captain initially refused to cooperate with an inspection in the Mediterranean Sea.

According to Reuters on August 2, the tanker was intercepted west of the Italian island of Pantelleria while sailing from Benin to Istanbul under the flag of Cameroon. The operation was conducted by the Italian-led European Union Naval Force Mediterranean mission, known as EUNAVFOR MED IRINI.

Italian personnel descended onto the tanker from a helicopter deployed by the Thaon di Revel, the flagship of the EU mission. A Greek naval vessel and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft also supported the operation.

The inspection lasted approximately two hours and was completed without incident, according to the Italian Defense Ministry. The personnel collected registration documents and other information that are now being reviewed by the relevant authorities.

Reuters reported that the inspection was intended to establish whether the tanker was legally entitled to sail under the Cameroonian flag and whether its registration documents were valid. A source familiar with the operation said the vessel had switched to the Cameroon registry only the previous week.

The inspection took place in international waters under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which permits warships to board vessels in certain circumstances, including when there are reasonable grounds to suspect they are sailing without nationality or under a false flag.

The Toa Payoh was not detained following the inspection. Reuters reported that the EUNAVFOR MED mission did not have the authority to seize the vessel during the verification procedure.

However, documents collected during the boarding could be transferred to national authorities and used to support a future detention or seizure if investigators identify legal grounds for further action.

The European Union has sanctioned dozens of vessels accused of supporting Russia’s efforts to continue exporting oil despite restrictions introduced following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s shadow fleet consists largely of aging tankers operated through opaque ownership structures, offshore companies, and frequently changing registries. The vessels are used to transport Russian oil while limiting exposure to Western sanctions, insurance restrictions, and the international price-cap mechanism.

The boarding of the Toa Payoh was the second operation involving a suspected false Cameroonian registration in less than two weeks.

On July 22, European authorities intercepted the tanker South Star over suspicions that it was also sailing under an invalid Cameroonian flag. The vessel was subsequently detained while authorities examined its registration status.

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