By Gabriel Stargardter
PARIS (Reuters) -The French Navy on Tuesday said authorities were investigating a suspected infraction by the Benin-flagged oil tanker Boracay, a vessel which is listed under British and European Union sanctions against Russia.
“Following a suspected offence by the vessel Boracay, a report was made to the relevant public prosecutor’s office in Brest. An investigation is underway,” the Navy said in a statement to Reuters.
Britain and the EU imposed separate sanctions on the crude oil tanker in October 2024 and February 2025.
The EU said the vessel was linked to the transport of Russian crude oil and petroleum products “while practising irregular and high-risk shipping practices”.
The UK said the vessel was “involved in activity whose object or effect is to destabilise Ukraine … or to obtain a benefit from or support the government of Russia” in the transport of oil or oil products that originated in Russia from Russia to a third country.
The vessel, which changed its name to Boracay or on some shipping databases Pushpa in December 2024 was previously named Kiwala. Ships keep the same IMO identification number throughout their lives but do change names.
Estonia released the Kiwala in April 2025 after detaining it for sailing without a valid country flag. The vessel is part of the so-called shadow fleet of tankers involved in the Russian oil trade that have unknown ownership and insurance and are typically over 20 years old.
The crude oil tanker, built in 2007, is currently at anchor off western France’s Atlantic coast, close to Saint Nazaire.
(Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter in Paris and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Richard Lough and Ed Osmond)
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