A ship carrying sanctioned Russian metals was detained in Italy

A ship flying the flag of a small island in Oceania, sailing from Russian territorial waters in the Black Sea, was detained in the Italian port of Brindisi. It was carrying more than 33 000 tons of ferrous metals.

This was reported by the Italian Financial Guard, as well as the local media outlet ANSA.

The vessel was detained as part of European Union sanctions against Russia. Four people are under investigation for violations: the importer, the shipowner, and two crew members.

Inspections conducted after the vessel entered the port revealed “serious inconsistencies, falsifications, and alterations to on-board documentation regarding the vessel’s berthing locations and cargo operations”. After reviewing the documentation and analyzing the data, law enforcement officials confirmed that the vessel was in the port of Novorossiysk from November 13 to 16, 2025, and was transporting prohibited cargo.

In addition, the shipʼs AIS system was deactivated near Novorossiysk, Russia, probably to prevent control by the competent authorities.

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