French authorities have released the tanker Grinch from the port area of Marseille, suspected of belonging to the Russian shadow fleet evading sanctions. The vessel was intercepted at the end of January in the Mediterranean Sea by special forces. The condition for the ship's release was the payment of a financial penalty amounting to several million euros, as confirmed by Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. This is an unprecedented financial blow to the transport system for Russian energy resources.

Multi-million euro financial penalty

The owner of the tanker Grinch paid a sum of several million euros to obtain permission to leave the port after three weeks of detention by France.

Interception on the high seas

The vessel was seized on 22 January by French special forces between Spain and Morocco due to suspicions of violating EU oil sanctions.

Voluntary submission to punishment

The company managing the ship utilized the CRPC procedure, which allowed for a swift resolution of the case before the court in Marseille and the release of the vessel.

Fight against the shadow fleet

Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot declared that this action is part of the fight against the Russian system of financing the war through the illegal export of resources.

The French maritime administration has officially ended the three-week immobilization of the tanker Grinch, which on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, left French territorial waters. The vessel sailing under the flag of Comoros was intercepted on 22 January in the international waters of the Alboran Sea by the French armed forces with support from allies. After being seized, the ship was directed to the oil terminal in Fos-sur-Mer near Marseille. The vessel's captain, a citizen of India, was initially detained, and the owner was charged with violating EU restrictions. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has created a so-called shadow fleet, consisting of older tankers with unclear ownership structures, to bypass price caps imposed by the G7 countries and the European Union. The decision to release the vessel came after the company owning the ship admitted guilt under the CRPC procedure. The court in Marseille ordered a criminal measure in the form of a monetary confiscation, which, according to the French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, amounted to several million euros. These funds were transferred to AGRASC, the French agency managing assets seized during criminal proceedings. The minister emphasized that any attempt to circumvent European sanctions will entail high costs for entities cooperating with Moscow. The tanker Grinch was monitored by the MarineTraffic and VesselFinder systems, which confirmed its course from Russia towards the North African coast before the intervention by the French navy. 3 weeks — the tanker was immobilized in the port of Fos-sur-Mer Experts indicate that this case sends a clear signal to shipowners cooperating with the Russian fuel complex. The action by French services demonstrates that European Union member states are tightening control over vessel movements on key routes of the Mediterranean Sea. This operation was a coordinated action by the Marseille prosecutor's office, the prefecture of the Bouches-du-Rhône department, and the maritime prefecture, showing the level of determination of the state administration in enforcing sanctions policy. „Circumventing European sanctions has its price. Russia will not be able to finance its war with impunity using the shadow fleet.” — Jean-Noël Barrot The French left focuses on the need to tighten the maritime blockade and fully confiscate the assets of Russian oligarchs transporting resources. | The right highlights the success of French services in enforcing the law but warns of the risk of retaliation and rising fuel prices in Europe.

Mentioned People

  • Jean-Noël Barrot — Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, who announced on platform X the end of the tanker's immobilization and the imposition of the penalty.