Royal Marine Commandos Board Sanctioned Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker SMYRTOS in English Channel

The six-hour operation was the first UK-led interdiction of its kind against vessels linked to Russian efforts to evade oil sanctions.

ENGLISH CHANNEL — Royal Marine Commandos and National Crime Agency officers boarded the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet oil tanker SMYRTOS in international waters of the English Channel in the early hours of June 14.

Statements/media credit: British government, Crown copyright.

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The six-hour operation was the first UK-led interdiction of its kind against vessels linked to Russian efforts to evade oil sanctions. UK forces secured the vessel, which now sits at anchor off the south coast of England under monitoring while investigations proceed.

The tanker, identified by IMO number 9389100 according to UK sanctions records and vessel tracking data, is a crude oil tanker built in 2009. It loaded more than 100,000 tons of Urals crude, according to vessel tracking data and UK sanctions records, in Russia on June 5 and was en route to India when intercepted.

Vessel tracking and sanctions records indicate the tanker operated under a Cameroon flag of convenience that faced de-registration questions around the time of the boarding.

Interception and Boarding of the SMYRTOS