French naval forces intercepted the oil tanker Deliver, which was flying a falsified Cameroonian flag, after authorities in Yaoundé imposed sanctions on the vessel.

This operation follows the interception of vessels Tagor and Smyrtos in early June in the English Channel, both of which were flying fraudulent Cameroonian flags. Examination of documentation confirmed the irregularities in the vessel’s registration under the Cameroonian flag.

The vessel, registered in Cameroon, had been sanctioned by Yaoundé following incidents involving Tagor and Smyrtos. French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that the Deliver likely belongs to Russia’s so-called “ghost fleet,” a network of ships used to bypass international sanctions.

“The French Navy intercepted the Deliver on Tuesday as it sailed off the coast of Sicily, violating maritime law,” Macron stated. “This latest action against the ghost fleet, coming days after a similar operation by the United Kingdom, underscores Europe’s resolve to prevent circumvention of sanctions that finance Russia’s war effort.”

In recent weeks, Cameroon’s Ministry of Transport has sanctioned and deregistered 39 vessels flying the Cameroonian flag. Yaoundé explained these measures aim to conduct physical audits and digitalize registrations to better monitor the fleet and protect the integrity of Cameroon’s maritime registry.