The French Navy intercepted and boarded the sanctioned oil tanker DF Peak in the Indian Ocean over suspected false-flag registration and illegal fuel transportation, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
The operation took place on Monday morning, Oct. 12, more than 450 nautical miles (approximately 830 kilometers) south of Réunion, a French island east of Madagascar.
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“France is determined to fight the shadow fleet, everywhere in the world,” Macron wrote on X.
“Our French Navy boarded the oil tanker DF Peak, suspected of sailing under a false flag and being involved in illegal fuel transport activities,” he added.
Macron said the operation followed international maritime law and showed France’s determination to combat illegal trafficking.
French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said the Navy was escorting the tanker for further inspections under the prefect of Réunion’s authority.
French authorities have not yet announced whether they will confiscate the vessel or its cargo. The boarding and escort therefore do not by themselves constitute a final seizure or establish criminal liability.
Tanker linked to Russian oil trade
Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) lists the DF Peak, IMO number 9341067, in its War & Sanctions database as a vessel involved in ferrying Russian crude oil and petroleum products.
The tanker previously operated under the names NS Captain and Kaliningrad and has sailed under several flags. It currently claims registration in Benin, although French authorities suspect that the flag may be invalid or improperly used.
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According to Ukrainian intelligence, the vessel is associated with Russia’s state-controlled shipping company Sovcomflot, which has been sanctioned for helping Moscow export energy products and generate revenue during the war.
The US sanctioned the vessel in February 2024 as part of measures targeting ships affiliated with Sovcomflot. The EU added it to its sanctions list in June 2024, followed by Switzerland, Canada, the UK, Ukraine and Japan.
The Ukrainian database also records cases in which the tanker switched off its automatic identification system (AIS) and lists previous calls at Russian oil ports, including Primorsk and Ust-Luga near the Baltics.
France steps up shadow fleet interceptions
Russia’s “shadow fleet” consists largely of aging tankers with opaque ownership structures, frequently changing flags and limited access to reputable Western insurance.
The vessels allow Moscow to continue exporting oil while evading or reducing the effect of Western sanctions, including the G7 price cap and EU restrictions imposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
France has intensified operations against suspected shadow-fleet tankers in 2026.
In June, French forces and their partners intercepted the Russia-linked tanker Tagor in the Atlantic after authorities raised doubts about its claimed Cameroonian registration.
Later that month, France boarded the tanker Deliver near Sicily, also on suspicion of violating international maritime rules.
Shadow-fleet ships frequently operate under questionable registrations, use complex corporate structures to conceal their owners and sometimes disable tracking equipment. European officials have also warned that poorly maintained tankers carrying large quantities of oil create serious environmental risks.
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