Announced on February 28th, Belgian forces supported by the French Navy boarded and seized a Tanker dubbed the “Ethera”, an oil carrier with links to Russia’s elusive “shadow fleet” while it transited the North Sea in Belgium’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The effort to seize the tanker was dubbed “Operation Blue Intruder” and consisted of primarily French and Belgian assets, with additional support provided by G7 and NATO partners. Posted by French President Emmanuel Macron, a video captures the seizure with Belgian VBSS teams seen rappelling down onto the deck of the Ethera from a French Navy NH90.
Theo Francken, the Belgian Minister of Defense, stated that the Tanker has been taken into custody following the deployment of French and Belgian forces, and will be escorted to port in Zeebrugge, Belgium, for follow on inspections and interrogations.
Ethera was detained due to violation of maritime law for flying a false flag and utilizing false documents, with the vessel sporting the flag of Guinea at the time of the seizure. Suspicions were confirmed upon the detention and inspection of the Tanker, placing the Ethera amongst Russia’s Shadow Fleet which is tasked with dodging sanctions imposed on Russian oil by the international community.
According to the Belgian Air Force, Belgian NH90 and MQ-9B “were key assets” in the operation.
Russia’s Sanction Busting
Russia’s secretive fleet has proven to be a lifeline to an otherwise economically embattled regime, allowing the exportation of Russian oil without incurring the price caps or sanctions penalties put in place. To avoid any economic retribution, the tankers fly different flags which indicate a separate country of origin, allowing them to stealthily carry Russian crude oil to unsanctioned destinations, where said oil is processed and eventually put onto the market.
However, with the capture of the MV Ethera, the total count for Russian tied tankers seized by NATO countries has risen to 7, with Naval News reporting on past tanker seizures. The United States initiated what is now a trend amongst Western states, seizing a total of 7 oil tankers accused of aiding of sanctioned countries. France soon followed with the MV “Grinch”, which was put into port by French Forces following boarding in the Alboran Sea on January 22nd.
The continual seizures of Russian Shadow Tankers presents a challenge to Moscow’s already precarious economic position, with a Rand Report placing around thirty percent of the entire Russian budget as reliant on oil exports, which have now been heavily sanctioned by what was formerly one of Russia’s biggest oil markets in Europe. Despite this, there may be some reprieve for the Kremlin due to elevated oil costs spurred on by conflict in the Middle East amidst threats by the Iranian regime to target any ships crossing the straight of Hormuz, which gates access to some of the largest oil producers on the planet.
