France detains Indian captain aboard of sanctioned Russian oil tanker Grinch

Image credit – The Hindu

Recently we posted on how French authority stopped Russian shadow fleet oil tanker Grinch , now the tanker has not been released and on 24th January 2025, French authorities have detained the ship captain who is an India.

The Grinch reportedly sailed from Murmansk, Russia, under a Comoros flag, raising suspicions about the legitimacy of its documentation and ownership.

Details of the incident

• The Grinch was intercepted by the French Navy in international waters and diverted to anchor off Marseille for inspection.

• The 58-year-old Indian captain was detained by French prosecutors as part of ongoing investigations into false flagging and regulatory compliance.

• Other crew members, also Indian nationals, remain on board while authorities verify the ship’s navigation documents.

Below are the details of the vessel

• Name - GRINCH 

• IMO No.- 9288851

• LOA - 249.87 meters and her width is 43.8 meters.

• Flag – Comoros

• Type – Oil Tanker

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