EU Operation Irini intercepts, boards shadow fleet tanker Toa Payoh in Mediterranean

Published Aug 3, 09:28 AM UTC

On Sunday, the Italian Navy, leading the EU's Operation Irini in the Mediterranean, intercepted and boarded the Toa Payoh, a Cameroon-flagged tanker subject to EU sanctions. The vessel was en route from Benin to Istanbul and is linked to Russia's shadow fleet used to circumvent oil export restrictions. The ship's captain initially refused cooperation, prompting an Italian boarding team deployed by helicopter from the flagship Thaon di Revel. The two-hour inspection, supported by Greek and Polish assets, concluded without incident in international waters under UNCLOS Article 110. Italian authorities are analyzing collected documentation. The operation underscores the EU's intensified crackdown on shadow fleet vessels, following a similar boarding of the MV South Star on July 22. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that every illicit voyage sustains Russia's war machine.