Infrastructure and Transport (including energy) – European Sanctions Enforcement

October 14, 2026October 14, 2026 by Mark Handley

France – French navy detains suspected false flag oil tanker in the Indian Ocean

On Monday the French Navy detained the oil tanker, the DF Peak, some 450 nautical miles south of Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

The detention was confirmed by the French President on X.

The vessel is suspected of flying a false flag, and of being involved in the “illegal transportation of fuel”.

The vessel is reported to be sanctioned by all of United States, Canada, the EU, Ukraine, Switzerland, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

This is the first such reported action by an EU Member State in the Indian Ocean.

September 1, 2026September 1, 2026 by Mark Handley

EU – further sanctioned oil tanker, the MV Sun, boarded in Mediterranean

Further to our earlier posts (here and here) regarding the tanker boardings by the EU’s operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini, it is being reported that yesterday the same EU operation has boarded the sanctioned tanker MV Sun south of Sicily.

The boarding was conducted by an Italian naval vessel on behalf of the EU operation.

The inspection was to verify and determine the flag status of the vessel, and the vessel does not appear to have been detained.

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Mark Handley

UK – Russian-flagged vessel issued with movement direction to leave UK waters

The UK’s Department of Transport has today published information on events that took place on 27-28 January 2026.

On 27 January, the Russian-flagged, registered and operated vessel the Sinegorsk contacted HM Coastguard stating an intention to enter UK waters to undertake repairs to its hull.

The Centre for Transport Sanctions within the Department of Transport conducted an investigation into the sanctions status of the vessel.

After determining that the vessel was within the scope of the discretionary powers to issue a “movement direction”, the Secretary of State decided to issue such a direction. On 28 January HM Coastguard issued the notice to the Sinegorsk which proceeded to comply with the direction and leave UK waters.

August 24, 2026August 24, 2026 by Mark Handley

Germany – update on confiscation proceedings relating to the crude cargo of detained tanker, the Eventin

Further to our earlier post relating to the detention of the tanker Eventin by Germany in January 2025, press reporting has provided an update on the progress of the efforts by German Customs to confiscate and sell the 99,000 metric tonnes of crude on board.

It appears that Customs have decided to discontinue efforts to expedite the confiscation, with the issues relating to the confiscation, of whether any sanctions offence was committed, and whether the vessel, which was suffering engine trouble, was entitled to sail into German waters to obtain safe refuge, will be determined in the respective proceedings brought by the ship’s owner, Laliya Shipping Corp in March and April of this year.

August 3, 2026August 3, 2026 by Mark Handley

EU – another sanctioned tanker – the Toa Payoh – boarded in the Mediterranean

Further to our earlier post, it is being reported that, on Sunday 2 August, the EU’s operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini has boarded another tanker, the Toa Payoh, off Sicily. The vessel was sailing from Benin to Istanbul.

The boarding was to determine and investigate the flag status of the vessel which was claiming to have recently switched to a Cameroonian flag.

The vessel was not seized or detained as part of the operation.

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 by Mark Handley

EU – sanctioned oil tanker boarded in Mediterranean

It is being reported that on 20 July, the EU’s Mediterranean naval taskforce IRINI boarded the Turkish-owned oil tanker, the South Star, in order to assess and investigate its flag status. Under a different name the vessel had been designated by both the EU and the UK in 2025.

The report states that there was uncertainty over the vessel’s flag status as between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

The vessel was allowed to proceed after the boarding and inspection.

The same reporting refers to IRINI’s published information which says that it had conducted three earlier flag verification boardings during the month of June.

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 by Mark Handley

United Kingdom – £6.4m fine for strategic export control failures

Further to our earlier post reporting on the UK’s investigation into Airbus, HMRC has today issued a Notice to Exporters that Airbus Operations Limited (AOL) has entered into a compound settlement with HMRC under which it will pay a fine of £6,409,388 for offences under The Export Control Order 2008.

This is the largest fine imposed by HMRC under the compound settlement regime, and is another example of the new practice of sometimes naming companies that enter into such settlements.

The offences do not relate to sanctions but to the UK’s strategic export controls regime.

The breaches took place “over a sustained period” before November 2022 and were self-reported by AOL which cooperated with the investigation and has implemented remediation.

The breaches are described in only general terms as follows:

Article 29(2)(a-g) on multiple occasions for failing to keep accurate records of transfers of controlled technology as per the conditions of three of their Open General Export Licences (OGELs)
Article 29(3) on multiple occasions for failing to keep registers in relation to their OGELs
Article 29(2)(i) on multiple occasions for failing to keep accurate records contrary to the conditions of one of their OGELs
a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) on one occasion, relating to a failure of licence conditions

July 20, 2026July 20, 2026 by Mark Handley

United Kingdom – bail denied and trial date set for prosecution of captain of the tanker Smyrtos

Further to our earlier post, it is being reported that a hearing took place in London on Thursday of last week relating to the prosecution of Ajay Pant, the Indian national who was captain of the oil tanker the MV Smyrtos.

As part of the hearing Pant’s application to be released on bail was refused and a four week trial was listed to start on 15 December.

In addition, the court has scheduled a hearing on 12 November to hear an application by the defendant to have the charges dismissed. The reporting does not mention the basis for that application.

July 6, 2026July 6, 2026 by Mark Handley

France – guilty plea for Tagor tanker owner leads to €1m fine and release

Further to our earlier post regarding the detention by the French authorities of the oil sanctioned shadow fleet tanker, the Tagor, on 2 July, the company owning the vessel pleaded guilty in a Brest court to failing to be flagged and a refusal to comply with an order.

The company was fined, and paid, a fine of €1m. Upon payment the vessel was released and the is now sailing for Istanbul.

Our European Vessel Seizure Tracker has been updated.

July 2, 2026July 6, 2026 by Mark Handley

Finland – conviction for Russian truck exports with 3 years and 8 months jail and €6.6 million confiscated

Further to our earlier posts (here, and here, and here), Risto Riihimäki has been convicted of aggravated sanctions breaches for his role in the export of 135 trucks to Russian in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

The trucks were declared to be transiting through Russia, but that was actually their final destination.

Mr Riihimäki was the CEO of the company Idän liikennevälitys IL Oy, and he has been sentenced to jail for three years and eight months, just below the 4 year maximum sentence for the offence under Finnish law.

In addition, the court has imposed confiscation order for €608,275 against Mr Riihimäki as the proceeds of crime, and a confiscation order against the company for profits it obtained from the exports in the sum of €6m. The company was also fined €10,000.

Although two other employees had originally been the subject of the investigation, ultimately they were not charged.

The conviction and sentence remain subject to appeal.