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An oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” has arrived in the Bay of Douarnenez in western France on Tuesday under the escort of the French Navy.
The Tagor was intercepted and boarded in international waters off the coast of Brittany on Sunday with support from the United Kingdom, the Elysée Palace confirmed.
French officials said the vessel had departed from the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk and was sailing under a false Cameroonian flag when it was intercepted.
Authorities said the ship’s Russian captain initially refused orders to stop, prompting a boarding operation that the Kremlin has described as an act of “international piracy”.
It is the fourth tanker linked to Russia’s shadow fleet to be detained by France since September 2024.
Shadow fleet vessels are typically characterised by opaque ownership structures, frequent changes of flag registration, ship-to-ship cargo transfers and limited insurance coverage.
Western governments say the network has become a critical tool for exporting Russian oil despite international restrictions.
According to French authorities, the Tagor was bound for the port of Limbe in Cameroon when it was stopped.
Flying a false or invalid flag is considered a serious maritime violation and is commonly associated with sanctions evasion.
Iranian shipping magnate linked to Russian oil exports
The vessel has attracted particular attention because databases have linked it to the wider shipping network of Iranian oil trader Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, one of the most prominent figures accused of facilitating both Russian and Iranian oil exports.
Shamkhani, the son of former Iranian national security chief Ali Shamkhani, has built a vast network of shipping and logistics companies operating primarily from the United Arab Emirates.
In July 2025, the European Union sanctioned Shamkhani and several companies linked to his business empire, including Admiral Group and Milavous Group, describing him as a central player in Russia’s shadow fleet.
The EU said his network had become an important facilitator of Russian crude oil exports and accused him of helping generate significant revenues for the Russian energy sector.
The United States subsequently expanded sanctions against what it described as Shamkhani’s “vast shipping empire”, targeting more than 100 entities, individuals and vessels connected to the network.
U.S. authorities said the structure had generated billions of dollars through the transportation and sale of Russian and Iranian oil, although French authorities have not publicly alleged that Shamkhani directly owns the Tagor.
Fourth vessel detained by France in recent times
France has intensified enforcement against shadow fleet vessels over the past year. Authorities detained the tankers Deyna and Grinch in the Mediterranean on similar grounds, although both vessels were later released after paying fines.
In a separate case, a French court sentenced the Chinese captain of the tanker Boracay in absentia to one year in prison and imposed a €150,000 fine after the vessel failed to comply with orders to stop off the Brittany coast in September 2024.
The French government announced in April that it would strengthen penalties for vessels operating without valid flag registrations or refusing maritime inspections, reflecting growing European concern over sanctions evasion and maritime safety risks associated with the shadow fleet.
According to the European Union, nearly 600 vessels linked to Russia are now subject to sanctions as governments seek to tighten restrictions on Moscow’s oil exports.