How does the Mediterranean territorial laws work? Did the tanker try to go through French waters to smuggle sanctioned oil? Would it be better to bounce the vessel than to seize it, because this could be close piracy, not unlike US seizure of Venezuelan oil.
Honestly I think it’s kind of the same thing. I’m not sure if there is a legal mechanism to seize a flagged vessel you think is doing something illegal, but I don’t think you can just say "I suspect you are smuggling oil’ and seize them. Not that there’s really anything Russia can do about it, though…
These vessels are not flagged. That’s the whole point and why they’re a “shadow fleet”
They’re not following international law, so it’s easier to seize them.
No, the article says they are flagged under the Comoros Islands.
And, what else does it say?
On Thursday, the French navy intercepted the tanker - named the Grinch - which President Emmanuel Macron said was “subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag”
Thr whole point is that they’re not actually registered under the flag they fly…
