THE master of a sanctioned tanker has been detained by French authorities, after President Macron urged Europe to crank up the pressure on Russia's shadow fleet*
As reported by Lloyd’s List earlier this week, Boracay (IMO: 9332810), an 18-year-old aframax using the fraudulent Benin flag, deviated towards the French coast on Monday, having been approached by a French naval vessel.
France investigating shadow fleet tanker linked to Danish drone attacks After months of hands-off monitoring of fraudulent flagged shadow fleet transits, the French authorities have intercepted a tanker in the Atlantic days after the Danish authorities said they were looking at shadow fleet tankers as the possible source of a recent drone attack Read the full article here
The prosecutor’s office in Brest, where the formal report was lodged by the navy, is understood to be investigating the tanker for “lack of documentation of the ship’s nationality and flag affiliation” and “refusal to comply with the authorities’ instructions”.
Boracay was one of three ships with Russian links that were understood to be under investigation in Denmark, after suspected drone sightings led Danish authorities to briefly close Copenhagen airport last week. The Danish government, however, has made no move to detain the vessels.
President Emmanuel Macron, speaking at a summit of EU leaders in Copenhagen, said the crew had committed “some very serious offences”, but when asked by reporters if the tanker was linked to the drone incident last week, he said he would “remain very careful” and refused to implicate Boracay.
He urged Europe to increase the pressure on Russia's shadow fleet.
"You kill the business model by detaining, even for days or weeks, these vessels and forcing them to organise themselves differently," he said.
But two individuals Lloyd’s List understands to be the tanker’s master and chief officer were taken into custody by French forces. The chief officer has since been released, Le Monde reported, but the masterhas been summoned to appear in court next year.
Remerciements à nos commandos Marine et aux équipages de la Marine nationale qui sont intervenus ce week-end à bord d'un pétrolier de la flotte fantôme russe, actuellement au mouillage au large de Saint-Nazaire, dans le cadre d’une enquête de pavillon.
Leur action a contribué au… — Sébastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) October 2, 2025
Prime minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed via X that marine commandos and French naval forces had boarded the tanker over the weekend. He said the two crew members were detained by the Maritime Gendarmerie on the orders of the Brest Public Prosecutor.
Lloyd’s List understands the crew were unable to present formal proof of the ship’s nationality and left several questions posed by the Brest prosecutor unanswered, prompting the investigation.
The vessel was described as making “suspicious manoeuvres” off the coast of Saint-Nazaire, after it made a sharp turn towards the French coast on September 27.
Boracay moved in circles for several days at an average speed of almost zero knots. While this pattern certainly looks strange, Lloyd’s List Intelligence ship tracking manager Richard Smale said the pattern was consistent with that of a vessel at anchor.
The radius of the circle, as well as the tanker’s slowing speed as it approached Saint-Nazaire, further suggest the vessel’s movements were that of a ship moving around its anchor with the tide.
French authorities are still yet to confirm whether Boracay has been judicially detained.
[SRC] https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1155004/Shadow-fleet-master-detained-as-Macron-reveals-serious-offences
