The French Navy intercepted the tanker Deliver off the coast of Sicily on Thursday, 25 June 2026, according to a post by French President Emmanuel Macron on X. The vessel is suspected of belonging to Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’—a network of tankers used to circumvent international sanctions against Moscow.
A Fifth Interception Since September 2025
This marks the fifth suspected sanctions-busting tanker intercepted by French naval forces since September 2025. According to Macron, the Deliver was sailing in violation of international maritime law when it was stopped in the central Mediterranean.
“The French Navy halted the tanker Deliver as it transited off Sicily in breach of maritime law,” Macron wrote. “We will not allow the shadow fleet to evade sanctions and finance Russia’s war effort.”
He added: “Europe is determined. We will continue all necessary efforts to raise the cost of war for Russia and help secure a stable, lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Operation Under UNCLOS Authority
The operation was conducted under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits verification of a vessel’s flag if there are reasonable grounds to suspect it is flying a false or fraudulent flag. The Deliver flies the flag of Cameroon but departed from Primorsk, a Russian port on the Baltic Sea, according to the French Mediterranean maritime authority.
Upon boarding—carried out by naval commandos deployed via helicopter—the French forces examined the ship’s documentation. Their findings confirmed suspicions about its ties to Russia. The vessel is now en route to an anchorage under escort by French naval units.