French forces arrested the captain of the oil tanker DF Peak off the coast of Réunion, located east of Madagascar. This tanker, which is under international sanctions, is currently anchored in waters near Réunion.
Details of the Tanker Seizure
The oil tanker DF Peak set sail from waters near Trinidad and Tobago in mid-September and was heading east across the Atlantic Ocean after passing Cape Hope. It was stopped and inspected by the French Navy 450 miles south of Réunion. This inspection was conducted to verify the tanker’s flag, as the vessel had claimed to be operating under the flag of Benin. However, records in Equasis indicated that the declared flag was invalid, and French authorities confirmed that the ship has no valid flag registration.
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Date and Consequences of the Arrest
The oil tanker DF Peak, built in 2006, was managed by the Russian company Sovcomflot (SCF) until 2022 and was then transferred to the fleet of Sun Ship based in Dubai. This tanker was sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2024 for illegal participation in Russian oil trade and was later sanctioned by the European Union, Switzerland, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine as well. Currently, the tanker is owned and managed by entities based in Hong Kong.
Upon entering Réunion, the tanker was arrested, and its Chinese captain was detained for failing to provide valid documentation regarding the ship's nationality. If convicted, the captain could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $300,000. The law also mentions the possibility of seizing the 20-year-old tanker.
Initial investigations had imposed restrictions on the crew's movement, but these restrictions have now been lifted. The 20 crew members of the tanker, who are from Indonesia, Myanmar, and China, remain on board.
The recent activities of DF Peak are not entirely clear, but according to data provided by Pole Star Global, the ship last showed movements related to activities associated with Russia in April 2025. At that time, the vessel was exiting towards Asia from the Black Sea.
The AIS devices of this tanker reported a position east of Trinidad for most of the time between November 2025 and July 2026. The tanker’s route during this period indicates AIS manipulation, including gaps in data transmission and unusual anchoring activities. Records show perfectly round and lengthy anchoring circles that correspond to "anchoring manipulation" and "circular manipulation" techniques.
Reports indicate that a team from TankerTrackers.com photographed DF Peak in Venezuelan waters two months ago.
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