Italian vessel Thaon di Revel boarded a Russian shadow fleet tanker to inspect it in international waters near Pantelleria, an island located between Sicily and Tunisia.
The inspection was carried out by the Italian navy on Sunday morning, 2 August, as part of the Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, the European Union mission in the Mediterranean monitoring arms and oil trafficking.
The tanker Toa Payoh, which is subject to European Union sanctions and belongs to the so-called Russian 'shadow fleet', has undergone nationality verification, which for ships is determined by the flag they are authorised to fly. The Toa Payoh is sailing under the declared flag of Cameroon.
The tanker, which left the port of Cotonou in Benin on 16 July bound for Istanbul, was intercepted west of Pantelleria. According to the ministry's account, the tanker's master initially did not provide the requested cooperation. A team of Italian military personnel then reached the vessel by helicopter from the ship Thaon di Revel and carried out the planned checks.
"I would like to congratulate the crew of the ship Thaon di Revel and all the service personnel involved in the operation for the professionalism, preparation and resolve they have shown. This activity too is a concrete demonstration of Italy's contribution to the security of the Mediterranean and to the European Union's action," said Defence Minister Guido Crosetto.
How the operation was carried out
The Ministry of Defence reported that the operation, carried out with the support of a Greek ship and a Polish patrol aircraft, lasted around two hours and was concluded routinely and in complete safety.
The operation, conducted in international waters under the European mandate, was carried out, the ministry note says, in full compliance with Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which allows a naval vessel, when the conditions laid down are met, to carry out the necessary checks on the nationality of a merchant ship and the flag it is authorised to fly.
At the moment, the Italian authorities are reviewing the information and documentation obtained during the inspection.