French court jails captain of tanker Boracay for one year for defying navy

A French court sentenced Chen Zhangjie, the 39-year-old Chinese captain of the tanker Boracay (IMO 9332810), to a year in prison and a fine of about $170,000 for failing to comply with orders from French forces, The Maritime Executive reports. He was tried in absentia while at sea; his lawyer argued France lacked jurisdiction in international waters and plans to appeal. The ship, now named Phoenix, was boarded off Brest in late 2025 and had been suspected of links to drone flights over Danish sites. It continues to carry Russian crude.

This is a summary in our own words of the linked reporting. Allegations are those of the source. How we report.