Removed from Morocco, intercepted in the North Sea: The legal tug-of-war around the oil tanker Ethera (ghost fleet)

The Ethera, a 180-meter-long oil tanker, was intercepted by Belgian special forces in the night of February 28 to March 1. The ship was sailing empty towards St. Petersburg after leaving the Moroccan coast. It is suspected by European authorities of belonging to the "ghost fleet" used by Russia to export its oil.

Codenamed "Blue Intruder", the operation mobilized 93 military personnel, four helicopters and surveillance drones. According to HLN, the inspection carried out in the port of Zeebrugge revealed 45 infractions, including the use of a Guinean flag of convenience and fake certificates intended to circumvent the economic sanctions against the Kremlin.

In response, the Belgian state has set a record bail of 10.02 million euros to allow the vessel to return to sea. However, the shipowner has retaliated by taking legal action against Brussels, denouncing a "totally illegal" search and demanding the immediate release of his property without payment of the bail.

On board, the 21 crew members are living an increasingly precarious situation. The group, composed of a Russian captain and Indian, Georgian and Indonesian sailors, is prohibited from disembarking on Belgian soil. Blocked on the oil tanker for two weeks, the men are entirely dependent on food deliveries provided by the local authorities.