Fraudulent ship registration and fraudulent registries
Fraudulent ship registration puts a ship in a registry that no State operates or authorizes; IMO circulates notices and the Tokyo MoU studies the problem.
Fraudulent ship registration is the entry of a ship in a registry that the State whose flag it claims does not operate or authorize, leaving the ship with no genuine flag State behind its certificates. IMO circulates notifications of fraudulent registries by circular letter, and the Tokyo MoU set up an intersessional group on the subject at its 37th Committee meeting in September 2026.
The full article will cover how fraudulent registries are identified, IMO’s register of notifications, the port State control consequences, and the link to sanctions evasion.