The tanker, which the Italian Navy boarded on August 2 off the coast of Sicily, continues its journey. However, the empty ship is already holding the African coast in The Mediterranean Sea.
The Toa Payoh tanker continued its journey to The Mediterranean Sea after the Italian Navy boarded the ship on August 2. According to AIS vessels, after the "check" the tanker turned to the left and goes near the borders of the territorial waters of African countries. Toa Payoh passed by Tunisia and on August 3 goes opposite the coast of Libya. Whereas the international transport corridor is 160 miles to the north.
The 183-meter vessel is under US, EU and UK and can carry up to 50 thousand tons of petroleum products. According to the AIS of the vessels, it transports mainly oil products between Russia and Turkey in the Black Sea, and now goes from Benin to Istanbul empty.
However, this did not prevent the Italian Navy from seizing a tanker off the coast of Sicily on August 2, as reported by EADaily.
"This morning, the ship Thaon di Revel, the flagship of the operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, the mission of the European Union in In the Mediterranean Sea, he inspected the Toa Payoh tanker, which is under European Union sanctions and belongs to the so-called "shadow flotilla" Of Russia, to verify his nationality, which for ships is determined by the flag they are authorized to carry. The Toa Payoh tanker flies the flag of Cameroon," the Italian Defense Ministry said.
According to Reuters, the ship went under the flag of Cameroon the week before last, the captain refused to cooperate with the Italian Navy and they boarded the tanker to check the flag. At the same time, a Greek ship and a Polish patrol aircraft were also used in the operation.
The European mission does not give the right to delay the tanker, and after checking the vessel was released. The tanker indicates that it plans to arrive on August 6 in Turkish Canakkale. Obviously, this will be a transit point.
Almost two weeks ago, the Italian Navy also landed on another sanctioned tanker — South Star. And also suspected of a false flag, but released. The ship is anchored in the Suez Canal in The Mediterranean Sea.
Italy has become another EU country that is trying to stop tankers transporting Russian energy resources to reduce Russia's revenues. However, Rome has limited itself so far only to checks. For example, unlike France, which takes tankers to its ports, can keep them for months and fines from 1 to 3 million euros for the absence of a flag.