EU tightens grip on shadow tankers in Mediterranean, raising Genoa port questions

The European Union has begun boarding and detaining shadow fleet tankers at sea, targeting vessels falsely registered under Cameroon's flag to transport Russian oil in breach of sanctions. On June 8, the EU expanded the mandate of Operation IRINI, its naval mission in the Mediterranean, to stop, board, detain and inspect ships suspected of sanctions violations. The enforcement has prompted Cameroon to dump 39 vessels from its ship registry, according to officials and documents cited by Insurance Journal.

The crackdown signals a hardening of EU enforcement in Mediterranean waters, where the Port of Genoa sits as one of Europe's largest shipping hubs. Shadow fleet tankers—vessels that obscure their ownership and cargo origin through flag manipulation and deliberate misreporting—have become a mechanism for circumventing Russian oil sanctions. The false-flagging scheme, which Cameroon's maritime authorities have struggled to police, has created regulatory grey zones that European navies are now aggressively closing.

For Genoa's port authority and Mediterranean shipping operators, the expansion of Operation IRINI's powers raises immediate questions about compliance costs and port-call verification. Vessels attempting to dock in Genoa or other Italian ports now face heightened EU scrutiny of their flag state, beneficial ownership and cargo documentation. Insurance Journal reported that boarding operations have become routine, with European naval assets conducting inspections on the open water before vessels reach port.

The removal of 39 Cameroon-flagged vessels from the registry represents a significant tightening of the flag-of-convenience loophole that shadow fleet operators have exploited. Cameroon, which had become a favoured registry for sanctions evasion because of weak oversight, has faced diplomatic pressure from the EU to enforce stricter vetting. The loss of registry revenue and reputational damage has forced the West African nation's hand, though enforcement remains patchy across other vulnerable flag states.

Genoa's port operators and shipping agents are adapting to the new regulatory environment by tightening due diligence on vessel documentation and ownership structures before accepting calls. The EU's expanded mandate does not directly target Italian ports, but the enforcement upstream—on the open Mediterranean—creates a screening effect that shapes which vessels attempt to enter Italian waters. Shipping lines that rely on opacity have begun routing around the Mediterranean or seeking alternative flag registries, though Operation IRINI's success in removing vessels from circulation suggests the EU enforcement is raising the cost of sanctions evasion across the region.