France Releases EU-Listed ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker After Boarding as Captain Is Charged

Overview

• The Boracay, also known as Pushpa and flagged to Benin, resumed its voyage toward the Suez Canal after days anchored off France, according to MarineTraffic and Vesselfinder data.
• French authorities charged the Chinese captain with refusal to comply, set a February 23 court date, and released the first officer, with both men returned to the ship after custody.
• A French Navy frigate boarded the tanker near Ouessant, and prosecutors in Brest opened a judicial investigation citing lack of proof of nationality and noncompliance during inspection.
• President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to increase pressure on Russia’s so‑called shadow fleet, while Vladimir Putin denounced the interception as “piracy.”
• Trackers placed the ship south of Copenhagen during September drone disruptions, but French and Danish authorities have not confirmed any link, and the French probe does not address that question.