French President Emmanuel Macron said the French navy had intercepted the DF Peak oil tanker on Monday morning, more than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion Island, amid suspicions that the vessel was linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, which is used to circumvent Western sanctions.
Macron announces interception of DF Peak tanker
Macron said on X: “This morning (Monday), the national navy intercepted the DF Peak oil tanker more than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion Island.” The French president posted footage of the operation, stressing that “France is determined to combat the shadow fleet”. The oil tanker flies the flag of Benin and is listed on the European Union’s list of sanctioned vessels.
It has been suspected of belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet since 25 June 2024, when it was operating under the name Kaliningrad. The French General Staff said on X that an inspection team boarded the vessel and audited its documents. It added that the inspection “confirmed suspicions about the irregularity of the flag it was flying”, explaining that the tanker’s course had been diverted under escort from French navy units.
The European sanctions list currently includes more than 700 vessels. Vessels suspected of being used by Russia to export fuel, despite US, British and European sanctions, are accused of sometimes changing their names or the flags they fly to circumvent monitoring operations.
