French Court to Try Captain of Suspected “Shadow Fleet” Oil Tanker
The captain of a suspected “shadow fleet” oil tanker detained off the coast of France will go on trial in February accused of failing to cooperate with authorities.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has claimed the vessel belongs to Russia’s fleet of ageing tankers using different flags to transport crude oil to avoid western sanctions. The ship, now known as the Boracay but which has undergone numerous name changes, is also suspected of being used to launch drones that closed airports across Denmark last week.
Macron said that while he could not rule out the possibility, he declined to confirm a clear link between the tanker and the drone incursions. Denmark has stopped short of accusing Russia directly of being responsible for the drone incursions, but the director of the Danish intelligence service, Thomas Ahrenkiel, on Friday said that “Russia is waging a hybrid war against Nato.” Denmark also raised its threat level of possible sabotage against the armed forces to “high”.
Russian President Accuses France of “Piracy”
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, accused France of “piracy” and claimed Macron was using the ship to “deflect” from domestic problems. Putin emphasized that “there was no reason whatsoever for seizing the tanker in neutral waters”, adding that “there wasn’t and couldn’t be” any military cargo or drones on board.
Putin said such action could provoke confrontation, stating, “It’s piracy, and how do you deal with pirates? You destroy them. It doesn’t mean that tomorrow a war will erupt all across the global ocean, but certainly the risk of confrontation will seriously increase.”
Trial Date Set for Captain
A preliminary investigation was opened into the crew’s “refusal to cooperate” and “failure to justify the nationality of the vessel” after the Atlantic maritime prefect alerted justice authorities on Monday. The inquiry showed the captain could not be directly considered responsible for the secondment of the ship, but his failure to comply with French authorities’ requests has led to the trial.
The two Chinese crew members, the captain and the chief mate, had been released from police custody after being detained since Tuesday. The chief mate was released without charge, while the captain was summoned for trial in Brest on 23 February. He could face up to a year in prison and a €150,000 (£131,000) fine.
Finland Court Decision May Influence Future Cases
In a separate development, a court in Finland made a surprise decision in the criminal case against Eagle S, another tanker understood to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet, suspected of damaging five undersea cables by dragging its anchor between Finland and Estonia. The Helsinki district court had been expected to deliver a ruling on the case but instead said it was unable to issue a decision because it was beyond its jurisdiction.
The decision is likely to influence any future cases involving Russian-linked tankers operating in international waters.
Conclusion
The trial of the Boracay‘s captain highlights ongoing tensions between France and Russia regarding maritime operations and the implications of international sanctions.
Original Article: Captain of oil tanker linked to Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ to go on trial in France — The Guardian