French Navy Boards Sanctioned Tanker Far From Réunion

The French Navy boarded the sanctioned shadow fleet tanker DF Peak on 12 Oct 2026 in the Indian Ocean, about 450 nautical miles south of Réunion, in one of the most remote interdictions of a Russia-linked vessel since the invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. President Emmanuel Macron announced the boarding, saying the Marine Nationale acted against a ship suspected of flying a false flag and conducting illicit fuel transportation activities. Macron said the operation was carried out in accordance with international maritime law and demonstrated France's determination to combat illicit trafficking wherever it occurs. Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said the DF Peak is now under escort and remains under inspection, with legal authority for the boarding falling to the regional prefect of Réunion despite the vessel being far outside French territorial waters. Built in 2006 as a 110,000 DWT tanker, DF Peak served in Russia's state-owned Sovcomflot fleet as the NS Captain until 2024, when it was renamed Kaliningrad before adopting its current name in 2025. It joined the Dubai-based, SCF-linked Sun Ship fleet in early 2022 and is managed by a Hong Kong company. Equasis records indicate it is falsely flagged in Benin, a registry that has sought to deregister noncompliant shadow fleet tonnage. The vessel was sanctioned by the United States in 2024, followed by the EU, Switzerland, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. The boarding came days after the United States paused sanctions on Russian diesel exports, a move aimed at easing fuel prices ahead of November's midterm elections.