French Navy escorts intercepted the Tagor on May 31 about 740 kilometers off the coast of Brittany. Authorities suspected it was illegally using a Cameroonian flag. The ship had left the Russian port of Murmansk and was allegedly bound for Limbe. Under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the crew underwent a nationality verification at sea. The vessel was then escorted to France.

Cameroon’s transport minister condemns flag fraud

In a statement broadcast on public radio, Minister Jean Ernest Masséna Ngalle Bibehe confirmed that the Tagor does not appear on any official register of vessels authorized to fly the Cameroonian flag. He strongly condemned the fraudulent and abusive use of Cameroonian nationality attributes and called on the international community to take firm action against such abuses. Yaoundé also reiterated its commitment to cleaning up and modernizing its flag registry.

The formal statement aims to distance Cameroon from any association with a vessel belonging to what maritime authorities describe as the ‘ghost fleet’ – ships used to route sanctioned oil onto international markets by sea. The affair highlights the vulnerability of national flag registries to actors seeking to circumvent oversight mechanisms.

French navy intercepts fourth ghost fleet vessel since September 2025

The Tagor interception marks the fourth such action by French forces since September 2025. After inspections, the case was handed to the Brest public prosecutor’s office, responsible for maritime affairs. The vessel has remained anchored in Douarnenez bay since June 2 as part of a judicial probe. These increasing interceptions reflect Europe’s tighter grip on oil export routes that evade sanctions.