An Italian-led European Union naval mission has boarded a Cameroon-flagged tanker linked to Russia's shadow fleet in international waters west of Sicily — the second such operation in less than two weeks — according to Splash247. The vessel, Toa Payoh, was allowed to continue after an inspection that lasted about two hours, the source reported.
The Toa Payoh was intercepted on Sunday west of Pantelleria while sailing from Cotonou, Benin, to Istanbul, according to Italy's defence ministry. Splash247 reported that the tanker had switched to the Cameroon registry only last week, and the boarding was intended to verify whether the vessel was entitled to fly the flag and whether its registration documents were valid.
Inspection snapshot
| Vessel | Date | Flag | Route | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toa Payoh | Sunday | Cameroon (registry switched last week) | Cotonou, Benin → Istanbul | Allowed to continue; documents under examination |
| South Star | July 20 | Not stated; suspected of sailing under false flag | Not stated | Inspected |
Boarding and legal basis
The master initially failed to cooperate, prompting Italian military personnel to reach the vessel by helicopter from the frigate Thaon di Revel, flagship of the EU's EUNAVFOR MED Irini mission, according to Splash247. The inspection, supported by a Greek ship and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft, lasted about two hours and was completed safely.
Irini did not have the authority to seize the vessel during the inspection, meaning the tanker was allowed to continue.
The operation was conducted under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which allows warships in certain circumstances to verify a merchant vessel's nationality, according to Splash247. Documents collected onboard are being examined and could be used by national authorities to support a later detention or seizure, the report stated.
Enforcement pattern in the Mediterranean
Splash247 reported that the boarding follows the July 20 inspection of the South Star, another tanker associated with Russia's shadow fleet and suspected of sailing under a false flag, and follows a host of other boardings led by France. EUNAVFOR MED Irini was launched in 2020 primarily to enforce the UN arms embargo on Libya, but its mandate has since been expanded to allow verification boardings in the Mediterranean.
Implications for shipping operators
For ocean carriers, freight forwarders and port authorities monitoring the Cotonou–Istanbul lane and the wider Mediterranean, the incident highlights the inspection risk for tankers linked to Russia's shadow fleet and for vessels that recently changed registry, based on the facts reported by Splash247. The Toa Payoh had switched to the Cameroon registry only last week, making it subject to a flag-verification boarding shortly after. Since Irini lacked seizure authority during the inspection, the immediate operational impact was a two-hour delay and document collection; the longer-term exposure is that national authorities could use those documents to support a later detention or seizure, according to the report.
Watch list
- Document examination outcome: Documents collected from the Toa Payoh are being examined and could be used by national authorities to support a later detention or seizure, reported Splash247.
- Pace of enforcement: This was the second shadow-fleet tanker boarding in less than two weeks, following the South Star inspection on July 20, according to the same report.
- French-led operations: The Toa Payoh boarding follows a host of other boardings led by France, Splash247 reported.
- Expanded mandate: EUNAVFOR MED Irini's mandate, launched in 2020 for the UN arms embargo on Libya, now allows verification boardings in the Mediterranean, the report noted.
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