The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has identified 529 vessels operating under false flags, placing ship registration fraud at the centre of next month’s Legal Sub-Committee meeting (LEG 113).
The findings, circulated ahead of the session, show the number has risen since LEG 112 and underline weaknesses in global flag state verification systems.
Of the 529 vessels recorded, 356 are not classed by any classification society.
The data was compiled with verification support from S&P Global and published on the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) platform.
The IMO secretariat reported that more than two-thirds of the falsely flagged ships are not classed by any recognised classification society.
The list breaks down cases by claimed flag state and vessel type, covering tankers, bulk carriers, containerships and smaller craft.
The issue is not limited to a single region. Submissions from governments and industry stakeholders show cases spread across Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Several states reported fraudulent websites
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