UK court denies bail to captain of alleged Russian shadow fleet tanker

A UK court denied bail to Ajay Pant, the Indian captain of an alleged Russian shadow fleet tanker seized by British forces in the Channel last month. Pant, 38, appeared by video link in a London court and is charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering prohibited Russian oil or oil products by ship to a third country during June 2026.

British armed forces intercepted the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos on June 14. The case is described as the first UK-led operation of its kind. The tanker, captained by Pant, is alleged to be part of Russia's shadow or ghost fleet, a network of tankers with disputed ownership and insurance that Moscow is accused of using to evade oil sanctions imposed after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The court denied Pant bail because of concerns that he might abscond or that Russia could help him flee. He was remanded in custody ahead of a possible jury trial starting on December 15. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Pant was the master of the ship and knew about the cargo, which they said amounted to about 98,000 tonnes of oil. The court heard that the vessel had been in Russia on June 5, sailed under the flag of Cameroon, was described by the British government as stateless, and was owned by a Hong Kong-based company.

Pant's wife also attended the hearing by video link. His lawyer, James Diamond, said at an earlier hearing that Pant had no previous convictions and was simply following orders as an employee of the vessel's owner.

The British government has sanctioned hundreds of vessels suspected of being part of the shadow fleet, barring them from UK ports and services. In March, London said UK forces would be able to board and seize suspected shadow fleet vessels passing through British waters. France, Belgium, Finland and other European countries have also recently seized vessels suspected of violating sanctions and believed to belong to the shadow fleet.