The French navy boarded the oil tanker Deliver on June 23 as it passed off the coast of Sicily [1, 2, 3]. Marines deployed from helicopters secured the vessel, which was flying a Cameroonian flag and had sailed from Primorsk, Russia [1, 2, 3]. The Deliver is linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet used to evade EU and Western sanctions imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine [1, 2, 4, 3].
French President Emmanuel Macron said, "On Tuesday, the French navy boarded the oil tanker Deliver as it was passing off the coast of Sicily in breach of the law of the sea" and stressed Europe’s determination to enforce sanctions. He added, "We will not allow the 'shadow fleet' to circumvent sanctions and finance Russia's war effort" and called the operation a sign of European resolve following a recent UK action [1, 2, 3].
The Deliver was escorted to anchorage for a detailed inspection, with a report sent to the Marseille prosecutor’s office to investigate potential legal violations [2, 3]. France has intercepted at least five Russian shadow fleet tankers in recent months, including the Deliver [1, 4, 3]. The shadow fleet includes nearly 600 vessels now subject to EU sanctions aimed at blocking revenue flows to Russia’s war effort [2].
Russia’s embassy in France condemned the French interception as "another case of piracy" [4]. The French interception comes after a late May 2026 joint operation with the UK against another suspected shadow fleet ship in the Atlantic, and four similar boardings since September 2025 [2].
French authorities will continue investigations into the Deliver, with no further updates reported as of June 26, 2026.
