Russian shadow tanker’s Indian captain, crew in French custody

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Agence France-PresseJanuary 25, 2026 at 03:34 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

French authorities have taken the Indian captain of the tanker "Grinch" into custody for failing to fly a flag. The vessel, suspected of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet" used to circumvent oil sanctions, was seized by the French navy in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday and is currently moored near Marseille. The remaining Indian crew members are being held on board. The "Grinch" is suspected of transporting Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions related to the invasion of Ukraine. The vessel was escorted to the Gulf of Fos in southern France on Saturday and is being guarded by the French navy and gendarmerie patrol boats.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Martigues 40% Marseille 50% Gulf of Fos 55% G7 60% Mediterranean Sea 60% Ukraine 65% Indian ×270% French Navy ×275% Russia ×280% The Grinch ×585% France ×590%

Keywords

shadow fleet 90% sanctions 80% oil tanker 80% russian oil 70% flag-hopping 60% indian crew 60% france 60% grinch 50% mediterranean sea 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

France

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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shadow fleet sanctions oil tanker russian oil flag-hopping indian crew france grinch mediterranean sea

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