On June 23, the French Navy intercepted the oil tanker Deliver, which was flying a counterfeit Cameroonian flag, following the earlier seizures of the vessels Tagor and Smyrtos in the English Channel earlier in June.
A review of the ship's paperwork confirmed doubts about the legitimacy of the Cameroonian flag it displayed; the vessel has been sanctioned by Yaoundé after the incidents involving Tagor and Smyrtos.
According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the tanker belongs to Russia's so‑called “ghost fleet,” and the French Navy boarded the Deliver as it was sailing off Sicily in violation of maritime law.
In recent weeks, Cameroon’s Ministry of Transport has sanctioned and deregistered 39 ships bearing the Cameroonian flag; Yaoundé says these measures will enable a physical inventory and digitisation campaign to better control the registered fleet and protect the Cameroonian flag.
Europe’s resolve to combat the ghost fleet is clear, Macron said, adding that “we will not allow the ghost fleet to evade sanctions and fund Russia’s war effort.”
The operation underscores the importance of international cooperation in curbing illegal activities at sea, and it promises tangible benefits for Cameroonian and African stakeholders, including stronger protection of the Cameroonian flag and a more effective fight against the ghost fleet.
