The captain of a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker seized in the Channel claimed he was 'simply following orders'.Ajay Pant, 38, appeared at a magistrates' court today 48 hours after the vessel was intercepted by British Royal Marine Commandos off the coast of Britain in the early hours of Sunday.The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Royal Marine commandos and specially trained law enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency boarded the sanctioned oil tanker during a six-hour operation – the first UK-led operation of its kind.Pant, 38, is charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil or oil products from Russia to a third country in June 2026, in contravention of Regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.He was not asked to enter a plea when he appeared before Southampton Magistrates' Court today via video link from a police station in Bournemouth.He spoke to confirm his name and date of birth and gave his address as being in India.But James Diamond, defending, said: 'The defendant is very clear on his actions that it was not his choice as to where this vessel was going or the cargo this vessel was carrying.'He was simply following orders from those in the corporation. Helicopters intercepted the Smyrtos in the first operation of its kind, with forces 'fast-roping' down on to the vessel The Ministry of Defence said Royal Marines commandos and National Crime Agency officers were involved in the operation The MoD said the CMR Smyrtos has been sailing under a false Cameroonian flag'He is simply an employee doing his job who finds himself put before a British court.'The court heard that the oil tanker was part of Russia's 'clandestine fleet of 700 ships' which acted as its 'lifeline' by transporting 75% of its oil and helping fund the war against Ukraine. District Judge David Robinson, who appeared on the videolink from Portsmouth, sent the case for a plea and trial preparation hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on July 16 and remanded Pant in custody until then.He faces a lengthy jail term if convicted. Varun Chuni, prosecuting, told the magistrates' court hearing: 'On the morning of June 14, Royal Marines and the National Crime Agency boarded the oil tanker MV Smyrtos, that vessel had entered UK territorial waters without a legitimate flag.'The MV Smyrtos is an oil tanker that is utilised by the Russian shadow fleet, the shadow fleet is a description given to the clandestine fleet of tankers that Russia used to transport its oil around the world.'They operate under a flag of convenience, the genuine owners of those tankers are very difficult to trace.'In order to deceive law enforcement, they turn off tracking transponders and they regularly change flags and broadcast false locations.'He said that the Smyrtos was designated under UK sanctions on Russia in 2025 which 'were introduced to place pressure on Russia and its economy'.He said: 'It's known it was in Russia on June 5 2026 and departed Russian territorial waters.'Its movements were monitored, it then entered UK territorial waters, east of Margate, on June 13, flying the flag of Cameroon.'The master of that vessel has been identified as the defendant. He is an Indian national and he was arrested on the evening of June 14 and is currently in custody.'He's suspected to be master of that vessel, essentially in charge of it.'The amount of oil being carried is substantial, it is thought to be 98,000 tonnes of oil, clearly that is a significant amount. As to its value, it's uncontroversial to say it's of very significant value.'The vessel is believed to be held in Portland. The NCA said its crew comprised around 24 Georgian and Indian nationals and is assisting with the investigation.According to the MarineTraffic website, Smyrtos sails under the Cameroon flag and left Ust-Luga, Russia, on June 5, with Port Said in Egypt listed as its intended final destination.Moscow's shadow fleet is reported to be made up of more than a thousand ageing tankers that illicitly ship oil and other goods out of Russia by flying the flags of other countries, with the aim of evading sanctions imposed by the West since the invasion of Ukraine began.Closing off British waters to the shadow fleet is aimed at forcing the Russian vessels into taking longer, more costly sea routes, or risk being intercepted by the UK.British forces have already been involved in tracking shadow fleet vessels for several years, and have supported operations by other countries to seize the ships.