Principaux renseignements L’Union européenne prévoit d’élargir considérablement la portée de son opération navale en Méditerranée, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, en la faisant passer d’une mission centrée sur la Libye à une initiative de sécurité régionale plus globale. Flotte fantôme Selon un projet de décision du Conseil, la durée de la mission sera prolongée jusqu’au 31 mars […]

The Italian Navy's PPA ITS Thaon di Revel conducted a boarding inspection of the EU-sanctioned tanker Toa Payoh in international waters during Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI. The vessel, flagged under Cameroon, was suspected of being part of Russia's shadow fleet used to transport oil outside Western sanctions. The operation, led by Thaon di Revel, involved a military boarding team deployed via helicopter after the master initially refused cooperation. The inspection, which lasted two hours without incident, aimed to verify the tanker's nationality and flag compliance under UN Convention Article 110. This action aligns with IRINI's mandate to disrupt illicit petroleum exports and human-smuggling networks. Multinational support included a Greek frigate and Polish surveillance aircraft. The move reflects heightened scrutiny of sanctioned vessels in Mediterranean waters, though inspections do not automatically result in seizures. Russia's shadow fleet, operating under different flags, enables oil exports bypassing sanctions, highlighting the strategic importance of such operations in countering economic pressures on Moscow.

An EU naval mission led by Italy boarded a tanker from Russia's so-called "shadow fleet", the second such operation in less than two weeks.