Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vessels have been boarded, inspected or detained in UK waters since the authority to board shadow fleet vessels was extended on 25 March 2026, and what the outcome of each case has been.
Answer
The Ministry of Defence stands ready to board shadow fleet vessels when required as shown through our interdiction of the Russian shadow fleet vessel MV SMYRTOS. At present, this remains the only vessel that has been interdicted. It remains a government priority to put pressure on the Russian shadow fleet. This includes sanctions, coordinated diplomatic actions, and where appropriate, lawful interdiction. International efforts are having an effect. We observe changing patterns of behaviour which increase the cost of transporting sanctioned Russian oil as well as Russian naval escorts, which put additional demands on the Russian fleet.
Verdict: AMBER (55/100)
The reply gives a clear figure for the first part of the question: only one vessel, the MV SMYRTOS, has been interdicted since the authority was extended. It does not say what happened to that vessel, so the second part, the outcome of the case, is only partly answered. The general comments about international efforts do not fill that gap, so the asker would likely need to ask again for the specific result.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| How many vessels have been boarded, inspected or detained in UK waters since the authority to board shadow fleet vessels was extended on 25 March 2026? | Addressed | Direct | The reply gives a concrete count: the MV SMYRTOS is the only vessel interdicted, so the number since the authority was extended is one. It uses 'interdicted' rather than 'boarded, inspected or detained', but it still answers the figure the question asks for. |
| What has been the outcome of each of those cases? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply names the one case (MV SMYRTOS) but says nothing about its outcome, such as whether it was released, detained or otherwise dealt with. The general statements about international efforts having an effect do not describe the outcome of that case. |