The Belgian federal public prosecutor's office and the mobility ministry are currently investigating an oil tanker that was boarded by members of the Belgian armed forces at the weekend. The vessel is now moored in the port of Zeebrugge.
According to Belgian defence minister Theo Francken (Flemish nationalist N-VA), the ship, named Ethera, is part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet and is on the European Union's sanctions list. Belgium received support from French armed forces during the operation. The French provided two helicopters and shared intelligence.
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office and the Belgian mobility ministry are currently investigating the oil tanker that was boarded by the Belgian forces on Saturday night.
The joint operation was named “Blue Intruder”. Ministers Annelies Verlinden (Interior and North Sea - Flemish Christian democrat CD&V), Jean-Luc Crucke (Mobility – Francophone centrist Les Engagés) and Theo Francken (Defence – Flemish nationalist N-VA) coordinated the action and provided details to the press at a news conference in the port of Zeebrugge on Sunday morning.
‘After four years of war in Ukraine, taking action is no longer an option, but our responsibility,’ says Francken. ‘This ship received VIP treatment: “very irritating policing”. It was closely monitored. There was a constant presence at sea and maximum legal pressure is now being applied,’ he says.
‘This approach should make it difficult for the Russian shadow fleet, forcing them to adjust their routes and to take extra surveillance into account.’
What exactly is the shadow fleet?
This is the first time that Belgium has boarded a ship that is believed to be part of the Russian shadow fleet. These are ships that sail without a flag or under a false flag in order to avoid trade sanctions.
A shadow fleet consists of ships that use certain tactics to circumvent sanctions or carry out other illegal activities. A third of the ships in Russia's shadow fleet sail without a valid flag in order to circumvent international sanctions.
Public Prosecutor's Office investigates tanker
The ship and its crew are currently being investigated by Belgian mobility ministry officials. According to mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke, an initial inspection confirmed suspicions of a false flag.
That is why the federal public prosecutor's office has also launched an investigation. ‘A false flag means that the vessel does not comply with a series of international obligations, including rules for the protection of the marine environment,’ a press release states. ‘Failure to comply with these rules constitutes a violation of the Belgian Shipping Code.’
The possible violations of the criminal code are currently being investigated. The federal public prosecutor's office is working together with the West Flanders public prosecutor's office, maritime police and the directorate-general for Navigation. Until the investigation is complete, the crew must remain on the ship.
According to minister Crucke, the owner of the ship risks a fine of up to 10 million euros.
A ship named Ethera
It is now clear which ship is involved. The ship in question is called the Ethera, an oil tanker that, according to VesselFinder, sails under the Guinean flag. It has been on a European sanctions list since October 2025 and on a US sanctions list since July.
The ship is believed to have sailed from Morocco. It is currently moored in the Flemish port of Zeebrugge. All 21 crew members have now been identified, but their identities have not yet been disclosed.