A Belgian official stated that the vessel is named 'Ethera' and is listed on the sanctions list imposed by the European Union. Reuters announced that Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken announced on Sunday that his country had detained an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet. Its activity raises concerns about potential environmental risks, as these vessels are often old and do not undergo sufficient oversight. Francken posted on X on Sunday: 'Over the past few hours, our armed forces, with the support of the French Ministry of Defence, have seized an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet'. Vessels of the shadow fleet usually have obscure ownership structures. He added that 'the vessel is currently being escorted to the port of Zeebrugge, where it will be detained'.
