Italian forces board Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean

The boarding was executed by personnel from the Thaon di Revel, the flagship of the EUNAVFOR MED Irini operation. Support for the two-hour inspection came from a Greek vessel and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft. While the mission concluded safely, Italian authorities are currently reviewing documentation seized from the ship to confirm its true nationality and flag status.

The Toa Payoh, which was traveling from Benin to Istanbul, is among the dozens of vessels identified by the European Union as part of a Russian shadow fleet. These ships are utilized to bypass Western restrictions on oil exports following the invasion of Ukraine. Originally established in 2020 to enforce a U.N. arms embargo on Libya, the Irini mission has since expanded its mandate to include the boarding and verification of vessels suspected of operating under fraudulent flags.