Cameroon has launched a cleanup of its maritime registry after authorities discovered that several foreign vessels may have been improperly operating under its flag.
In a recent statement, Transport Minister Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe confirmed the removal of multiple ships from the Cameroonian registry, amid growing international scrutiny of so-called “shadow fleet” operations linked to Russian oil exports and Western sanctions circumvention.
According to local reports, the vessels in question were described in the original documentation as being involved in the transport of Russian crude oil or petroleum products, or as having connections to sanctioned jurisdictions and entities listed under international sanctions regimes.
The report also cited a series of concerning practices, including ship-to-ship (STS) transfers, cargo manipulation or misrepresentation, and the disabling or interference with Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking.
Additional allegations included port calls in occupied Crimea and other activities aimed at obscuring vessel movements and cargo flows.
Cameroon’s move comes as governments and regulators step up scrutiny of “flags of convenience” used by vessels suspected of helping bypass sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. The European Union and its allies have sought to curb Moscow’s oil revenues, which remain a key source of funding for the war effort.
In recent months, Cameroon has been cited among several flag states whose registries have been used by vessels linked to shadow fleet activity. Maritime sources estimate that dozens of ships were either registered under, or attempted to register under, the Cameroonian flag, drawing concern from some of the country’s international partners.
These figures have not been officially confirmed, and the precise scope of the issue remains unclear.
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