Overview
- The Brest court on Monday issued a one-year sentence, a €150,000 fine and an arrest warrant after finding Chen Zhangjie failed to obey orders during a September 27 boarding.
- His lawyer said he will appeal and argued France has no jurisdiction because the actions happened in international waters.
- Prosecutors said the crew stalled the boarding and the ship sailed with no visible flag before hoisting a Benin flag that Benin authorities said was invalid.
- The case reflects a wider clampdown as European states expand boardings and legal tools, with the U.K. granting new powers and an EU maritime sanctions plan stalled by a Hungarian veto.
- The tanker has been renamed The Phoenix and now flies the Russian flag in the Strait of Malacca, and two Russian private security employees were previously reported on board.