EUNAVFOR Frigate Thaon di Revel Boards Falsely-Flagged Shadow Fleet Tanker Toa Payoh Southwest of Sicily

The Italian frigate Thaon di Revel, flagship of EUNAVFOR Med Irini, intercepted and boarded the EU-sanctioned product tanker Toa Payoh (51,000 DWT) southwest of Sicily on August 3. The tanker's master refused to cooperate with a flag verification request, prompting the Italian warship to dispatch a helicopter-borne boarding team. Evidence was gathered and the vessel was allowed to continue its voyage.

Toa Payoh currently claims Cameroonian registry - a flag that no longer exists following Cameroon's suspension of its international shipping registry due to widespread fraud. The vessel has previously claimed false registrations in Madagascar and Guinea, neither of which operate international shipping registries.

AIS data from ShipAtlas shows Toa Payoh continuing her commercial voyage off the coast of Misrata, Libya, heading toward the Turkish Straits as of Monday morning. She has avoided EU waters since passing the strait of Gibraltar.

EUNAVFOR Med Irini does not currently hold authority to detain shadow fleet tankers, limiting boarding operations to evidence gathering.