Belgian Forces Board Tanker from Russia’s Shadow Fleet

The Belgian Armed Forces, supported by the French Armed Forces, have seized an oil tanker from Russia’s “shadow fleet” owned by the son of a senior adviser to Iran’s recently killed Supreme Leader.

RTBF reported the vessel’s detention, citing Theo Francken, Belgium’s Minister of Defence.

The tanker was intercepted off the Belgian coast near Ostend around midnight. Troops boarded it by helicopter, after which the ship was escorted to the port of Zeebrugge, where it will be formally detained.

According to RTBF, the military detained the 180-meter oil tanker Ethera, built in 2008, flying the flag of Guinea.

“I congratulate our armed forces on their professional and decisive actions during last night’s successful operation and thank our French partners for their valuable support. Belgium will always ensure compliance with international maritime law and will respond firmly to any violations of the security of its territorial waters,” Prime Minister Bart De Wever said.

As Annelies Verlinden, Minister of Justice and the North Sea, stated, the tanker was intercepted based on intelligence identifying it as a vessel sailing under a false flag and therefore belonging to the “shadow fleet.”

In late January 2026, fourteen European countries, including Belgium, issued a joint statement warning Russia that tankers from its “shadow fleet” would no longer be able to operate freely in the Baltic Sea.

The countries announced that tankers changing flags, switching off transponders, or lacking the required documentation would henceforth be treated as vessels without nationality.

Such ships may be detained without legal risk, significantly limiting Russian carriers’ ability to circumvent sanctions.

The document also emphasizes the need for strict compliance with international maritime conventions, including SOLAS, MARPOL, and UNCLOS. Vessels violating these rules will be subject to detention.

Tanker Ethera

Ethera (IMO 9387279) is under sanctions by the EU, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is affiliated with the sanctioned company Fractal Marine DMCC (UAE), which is considered one of the leading operators of Russia’s “shadow fleet.”

According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Ethera is part of a vast shipping empire controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of Ali Shamkhani, chief political adviser to Ali Khamenei, Iran’s recently eliminated Supreme Leader.

Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani is believed to use his father’s political influence to corrupt senior officials within the Iranian regime to build and operate a large fleet of tankers and container ships. This fleet transports oil and petroleum products from Iran and Russia, as well as other cargo, to buyers worldwide, generating tens of billions of dollars in profits.

Shamkhani’s shipping empire consists of an extensive fleet of vessels, ship management companies, and shell companies that launder billions of dollars in profits from the global sale of Iranian and Russian crude oil and petroleum products – primarily to buyers in China. The network takes significant measures to conceal its operations and obscure links to the Shamkhani family, Iran, and Russia.