EU Warships Can Now Board Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers in the Mediterranean, Kallas Says

EU naval vessels have been given the authority to board ships linked to Russia’s shadow fleet in the Mediterranean, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said during an informal meeting of defense ministers on June 8.

The change comes under the European Union’s naval mission in the Mediterranean, Operation IRINI. According to Kallas, the mission has updated its rules of engagement and has now begun boarding vessels.

“Then on the freedom of navigation or maritime security, as such, we will also discuss the Shadow Fleet. Our Operation IRINI has changed the rules of engagement and has now started to board the ships as well,” Kallas said.

Operation IRINI was launched in 2020 to monitor compliance with the United Nations arms embargo on Libya. The mission has now taken on a broader role as Europe increases pressure on vessels used by Russia to move oil while bypassing price-cap restrictions and sanctions.

Kallas said the goal is not only to respond to individual vessels, but also to develop new common practices for dealing with the shadow fleet based on the experience of different countries.

“So also, the idea is to change the best practices, what different countries are doing with those ships, because it is really posing a danger, and of course also the idea is to curb Russia from the funding of this war,” she said.

Russia’s shadow fleet refers to tankers and other vessels used to transport Russian oil outside regular Western-controlled shipping, insurance, and compliance systems. European officials have repeatedly warned that such vessels help Moscow generate revenue for its war against Ukraine while also creating safety, environmental, and maritime security risks.

The updated rules mark another step in Europe’s effort to move from sanctions on paper to enforcement at sea. By allowing boardings under Operation IRINI, the EU is seeking to increase pressure on the maritime networks that keep Russian oil exports moving despite restrictions.

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Kallas said ministers would also discuss the European Security Strategy during the informal meeting, including what defense ministers want to see in the document and how the EU should proceed.

“Then finally we have the discussion of the European Security Strategy as well, what the ministers want to see there, how we proceed with this. But as it is an informal meeting, so things also take more time than in formal meetings, so sometimes we do not get to all the topics in the end,” she said.

Previously, the French Navy detained the oil tanker TAGOR, a sanctioned vessel linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, which is flying the flag of Madagascar.

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