France Takes Indian Captain Of Suspected Russian Shadow Tanker Into Custody

Last Updated:January 25, 2026, 20:48 IST

The 58-year-old captain was in charge of the tanker Grinch, which was seized by the French navy in the Mediterranean on Thursday.

French navy boats surround the Grinch oil tanker, intercepted by France, in the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer, in Martigues, France, January 25, 2026. MANON CRUZ / REUTERS

France has taken into custody the Indian captain of an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s sanctions-busting “shadow fleet", prosecutors said on Sunday, as quoted by AFP. The action was taken after the vessel failed to fly a national flag.

The 58-year-old captain was in charge of the tanker Grinch, which was seized by the French navy in the Mediterranean on Thursday. The ship is now moored under guard at a southern French port near Marseille.

The Marseille prosecutors’ office, which is handling the investigation, said the rest of the crew are being kept on board the vessel. All the crewmembers are also Indian.

Links to Russia’s shadow fleet

The Grinch is believed to be part of a fleet of mostly ageing tankers used to transport Russian oil in breach of a crude price cap imposed by Western countries and the G7 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ships in this so-called shadow fleet often change the flags they fly, a practice known as “flag-hopping". In some cases, they sail under invalid flags to avoid detection and tracking.

Naval escort and security measures

On Saturday, the French navy escorted the Grinch to the Gulf of Fos in southern France. By Sunday, the ship was anchored about 500 metres off the town of Martigues, according to an AFP photographer.

A French navy ship and two gendarmerie patrol boats were stationed nearby. Local authorities said both nautical and air exclusion zones had been put in place around the anchorage site.

Around 598 vessels suspected of belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet are currently under European Union sanctions.

Authorities said the 249-metre-long Grinch appeared under that name on a UK sanctions list of Russian shadow-fleet vessels. On lists compiled by the EU and the United States, it was listed under the name Carl.

This was the second interception of its kind in recent months. In late September, France detained a Russian-linked vessel named Boracay, which claimed to be flying the flag of Benin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned that move as “piracy". The Boracay’s Chinese captain is due to stand trial in France in February.

(With agency inputs)

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