On February 28, as reported by Belgium’s Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces of France and Belgium captured a vessel allegedly belonging to Russia’s so-called “Shadow Fleet” during a joint operation in the North Sea. The tanker was intercepted in Belgium’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as part of an operation aimed at reinforcing compliance with international sanctions imposed on Moscow.
The vessel, identified as MT Ethera, was intercepted on Saturday while sailing under a false Guinean flag. According to the official statement, the ship was not entitled to innocent passage through Belgium’s EEZ, as international law prohibits a vessel from sailing without a flag or under a false flag, prompting the Belgian government to authorize its boarding.
Belgium’s Minister of Defense, Theo Francken, stated: “The ship was sailing under a false flag and is on the European Union’s sanctions list. These are serious indications of deliberate deception and possible sanctions evasion. When such indications arise in our exclusive economic zone, we act.” Authorities noted that the operation was monitored in real time by Francken alongside Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden.
The operation, dubbed “Blue Intruder,” began at the Maritime Information Center located at the Zeebrugge Naval Base, an interagency body responsible for monitoring suspicious vessels and analyzing data related to navigation patterns, flags, ports of call, and international reports. Following governmental approval, boarding teams approached the tanker using NH-90 helicopters, patrol boats, and rigid inflatable boats, until the patrol vessel BNS Pollux (P902) completed the interception.
Subsequently, special operations forces boarded the MT Ethera and secured the bridge, engine room, and other key areas before allowing Belgium’s Federal Public Service Mobility to conduct the relevant inspection. The vessel was escorted to the port of Zeebrugge to continue the investigation, while Belgian prosecutors began questioning the captain, a Russian national, and opened a criminal case.
The French Navy contributed two NH-90 helicopters for aerial support during the operation, while the Belgian Air Force also deployed two aircraft of the same model. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X: “A heavy blow to the shadow fleet: in the North Sea, our French Navy helicopters assisted last night in the boarding by Belgian forces of a tanker under international sanctions. Europeans are determined to cut off the sources of financing for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine through the enforcement of sanctions.”
The episode forms part of a broader context of measures adopted by European countries in response to activities attributed to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” used to circumvent trade and financial restrictions. In January, France seized the tanker MT Grinch in the Mediterranean and diverted it to the port of Marseille; later, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that the vessel was released after the payment of several million euros in fines, stating that “evading European sanctions comes at a cost.”
In parallel, other states have strengthened maritime surveillance in the region. In early February 2026, the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) announced the expansion of Operation “Mare Sicuro” as part of the Mediterranean Security and Defense Strategy, extending its coverage from 160,000 to more than 2,000,000 square kilometers and placing particular attention on activities linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” In an official statement, the service indicated that the measure will ensure “a structured air-naval presence, including underwater vehicles, in all the most critical sectors of the region,” in cooperation with NATO, the European Union, and the United Nations.
Lead image obtained from the Belgian Ministry of Defense.
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