France plans to impose tougher penalties on ships suspected of evading sanctions by sailing under false or missing flags, in a move targeting Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” France24 reported on Wednesday, April 9.
The measures are included in a draft update to France’s military planning law and are aimed at vessels transporting Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions.
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Under the proposal, penalties for failing to fly a valid flag or refusing to comply with orders to stop would be doubled to up to two years in prison and a €300,000 ($350,000) fine.
In cases where the safety of boarding personnel is put at risk, sentences could increase to seven years in prison and a €700,000 ($818,000) fine.
French authorities have stepped up enforcement in recent months, boarding three vessels suspected of sanctions violations since September, according to the report.
Ships linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” often use tactics such as frequently changing flags or sailing under invalid registration to avoid detection.
Parliament is expected to debate the draft law in the coming months, with a vote anticipated by July 14.
Nearly 600 vessels believed to be part of the “shadow fleet” are currently subject to European Union sanctions.
On Monday, AP News reported Kyiv struck a Russian gas tanker in March using naval drones operating from a covert base in north Africa’s Libya. The news follows recent reporting by French outlet RDI that over 200 Ukrainian officers and specialists have been deployed to western Libya with the approval of the Tripoli-based government led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.
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