Infrastructure and Transport (including energy) – Page 3

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026 by Mark Handley

France – another sanctioned “shadow fleet” tanker seized in Mediterranean

On Friday the French authorities, with British Royal Navy support, boarded and seized the tanker the MV Deyna which was sailing from Murmansk to Port Said. It was off the coast of Algeria in the western Mediterranean at the time of the boarding.

The MV Deyna is a designated vessel under the EU’s Russian sanctions and a specified ship under the UK’s Russian sanctions.

The vessel is registered in Mozambique and said to be carrying Russian crude.

According to data from Vesselfinder.com the tanker is now off the southern coast of France at Fos-sur-Mer.

The same website indicates that it left its last port on 1 March. If this date is right, and the vessel was carrying Russian crude, then it would have been benefitting from the US sanctions waiver for Russian crude that was “on the water” as of 12 March at the time that it was seized.

This serves as a reminder, if one were needed, of the complexities of navigating the interlocking and overlapping sanctions regimes that are in place.

Our page tracking such seizures has been updated.

March 20, 2026 by Mark Handley

Germany – individual charged with exporting luxury cars to Russia

Further to our earlier post, following raids in November 2025, the German authorities have issued a press release reporting on the charging of a 57-year old from Dessau-Rosslau, with exporting €7.6m worth of luxury cars to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.

It is alleged that he has been responsible for the export of 236 cars, and is facing 154 charges.

March 16, 2026March 16, 2026 by Mark Handley

Sweden – shadow fleet oil tanker seized and captain arrested

On Thursday the Swedish authorities seized the oil tanker the Sea Owl I, in Swedish water.

The vessel was claiming to be flagged in the Comorros, but the authorities are alleging that the paperwork was forged.

It is also being reported that the crew has been questioned by the Swedish Prosecution Authority and that captain of the vessel has been arrested and has been ordered to be held in custody pending further investigations.

This is the second vessel seized by Sweden in as many weeks.

March 9, 2026June 9, 2026 by Mark Handley

European Vessel Seizure Tracker

There have been some high-profile examples of this in the last month or so, but the practice can be seen to have started years ago, while the number of examples made it sensible to gather them all in one place.

The vessels are not all oil tankers but also include bulk cargo carriers and container vessels:

26 February 2022 – France seizes the Baltic Leader

20 April 2022 – Greece seizes the Lana

10 January 2025 – Germany seizes the Eventin

17 January 2025 – Finland seizes the Eagle S

14 April 2025 – Estonia seizes the Kiwala

6 October 2025 – France seizes the Boracay

– Captain convicted in absentia and given a year’s jail

23 December 2025 – Sweden seizes the Adler

2 January 2026 – Finland seizes the Fitburg

19 January 2026 – Italy seizes the Hizir Reis

27 January 2026 – France seizes the Grinch

– Owner fined “millions” to obtain vessel’s release

20 February 2026 – Denmark seizes the Nora

2 March 2026 – Belgium seizes the Ethera

– Owner required to pay €10m to secure release. Being appealed.

9 March 2026 – Sweden seizes the Caffa

– Prosecutors sought confiscation of vessel which has been granted

Updates since original post:

16 March 2026 – Sweden seizes the Sea Owl I

23 March 2026 – France seizes the Deyna

– Owner paid undisclosed fine to obtain vessel’s release

3 April 2026 – Sweden seizes the Flora 1

– The vessel has since been released

5 May 2026 – Sweden seizes the Jin Hui

1 June 2026 – France seizes the Tagor.

March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 by Mark Handley

Sweden – seizure of cargo vessel for false flag failings

On Saturday Swedish authorities took control of the cargo vessel, Caffa. Video of the seizure has been released.

It is being reported that the authorities suspect that the vessel, carrying a cargo of grain, may have been sailing under a false Guinean flag.

A Russian national crew member has been arrested on suspicion of using false documents.

March 4, 2026March 4, 2026 by Mark Handley

Belgium – €10m payment and rectifying infractions required to obtain release of seized shadow fleet tanker

Further to our earlier post regarding the Belgian seizure of the tanker, the Ethera, it is now being reported that 45 infractions have been identified in relation to the flag status and condition of the vessel.

It is also being reported that these infractions will need to be rectified before the vessel will be released and that a €10m payment will need to be made. Different reports (here, here and here) describe this payment as a bond, a bail payment, or a fine.

March 4, 2026March 4, 2026 by Mark Handley

Germany – convictions, €20m confiscation and 6 years in jail for luxury car exports to Russia

German Customs has announced the result in a criminal prosecution of two individuals charged with exporting 111 luxury cars to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.

See our earlier post relating to the raids conducted in 2024.

The vehicles were armored and classified as luxury under the EU sanctions.

One defendant pleaded guilty ahead of the trial, Inna W, and was given a 2-year suspended sentence. The main defendant, Andreas M, pleaded guilty mid way through the trial. He was given a six year jail term and has been in detention since his arrest in November 2024.

The defendants had further plans for the export of another 400 cars valued at €40m.

The evidence indicated an extensive procurement network of shell companies for purchasing the vehicles before export. Customers for the vehicles included various Russian state agencies and state-owned corporations.

The sentence included the confiscation of “approximately €20m” as the proceeds of crime said to be from the individuals and the companies involved.

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026 by Mark Handley

Denmark – container vessel detained for unclear flag status

The Danish Maritime Authority detained the container vessel the Nora on 20 February.

When the vessel first dropped anchor in Danish waters it was flying a Comorian flag. It is reported that upon investigations by the Danish government the Comorros registry then denied that the vessel was flagged there, leading to the Danish detention of the vessel.

The vessel, sanctioned by the US under its Iran sanctions and formerly named the Cerus, is reported to now be flying the flag of Iran. The same vessel is sanctioned by Ukraine under its Russian sanctions

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026 by Mark Handley

Belgium – criminal investigation opened after North Sea seizure of tanker “Ethera”

On Saturday night a combined operation of the Belgian and French military (see here and here) saw the seizure of the sanctioned “shadow fleet” tanker the Ethera in the North Sea.

The tanker has since been brought to Zeebrugge .

It is being reported that a criminal investigation has been opened, and it is alleged that the vessel was falsely claiming to have a Guinea flag.

The vessel’s captain, reported as a Russian national, has been questioned.

February 25, 2026February 25, 2026 by Mark Handley

France – in absentia trial of shadow tanker’s captain to start on Monday

Further to our earlier post on the French seizure of the “shadow fleet” tanker “Boracay” off western France in September 2025, it is now being reported that the trial of the captain is due to commence on Monday.

The trial is taking place in absentia, with the captain Chen Zhangjie – a Chinese national – not attending the trial in the town of Brest.

The charges allege that the Captain refused to comply with a lawful order from the French Navy to allow the inspection of the vessel.

Mr Zhangjie is represented in the trial, and it is being reported that the defence will include arguments that French law and French jurisdiction do not apply.