Taiwan blacklists 52 Chinese-owned ships 01/27/25 (Splash247)

Bojan Lepic

Taiwan has blacklisted 52 Chinese-owned ships that operate under flags of convenience.

The crackdown follows the severing of a subsea communications cable near Taiwan at the beginning of January. Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration identified a Cameroon-registered cargo ship, Shunxin 39 (pictured), as the suspect in the incident.

Taipei will now target vessels flagged under countries like Cameroon, Tanzania, Mongolia, Togo, and Sierra Leone, where it deems ship registration processes often lack stringent safety and regulatory standards.

Of the 52 vessels identified, 15 were deemed threats due to their extended presence in Taiwanese waters over the past year. Among these, one vessel was flagged as a “high threat,” with several others categorised as posing medium or lower levels of risk.

Earlier this month, the Shunxin 39 was ordered to return to waters near the Port of Keelung to be investigated. Due to rough weather, coast guard officers were not able to board the ship for investigation and could not detain it. The ship continued on its way to South Korea.

It was later revealed that the vessel belongs to Hong Kong-based Jie Yang Trading headed by a Chinese citizen.

Taiwan’s National Security Bureau said earlier this month ships which have previously been found to misreport information will be put on a list of ships for priority inspection at ports.

Moreover, if these ships enter within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan’s coast and are close to where undersea cables are, the coast guard will be dispatched to board them and investigate.

Other ships hanging around the Taiwanese coastline have sparked concern. For instance, the Belize-flagged Russian general cargo vessel, Vasily Shukshin, left Russia’s Vostochnyy port on December 8 and loitered off Taiwan’s coast on December 19, according to Ray Powell, director of Stanford University-affiliated maritime analyst group SeaLight.

Powell said the vessel was “aimlessly criss-crossing” the area near Taiwan’s Fangshan undersea cable landing station for three and a half weeks “for no apparent reason,” but that it had since started to return to Russia earlier this week.

According to data provider Windward, the frequency of underwater infrastructure sabotage has increased from just two incidents in 2000 to 75 incidents in 2024 with the seas around Taiwan as well as the Baltic becoming hotspots for ships deliberately dragging anchors to take out critical subsea infrastructure.

Taiwan to ramp up monitoring of ‘flags of convenience’ ships after severed undersea cables 01/15/25 (ASIA NEWS NETWORK)

Yip Wai Yee The Straits Times

This picture taken by Taiwan’s Coast Guard on January 3, 2025 shows the Cameroon-flagged "Shunxing 39" cargo ship sailing at sea. Taiwanese authorities are investigating the Chinese-owned cargo ship suspected of damaging a subsea telecoms cable northeast of the island, Taiwan's coast guard said on January 6, 2025. PHOTO: HANDOUT/TAIWAN COAST GUARD/AFP

The proposal comes after Taipei said that a China-linked cargo vessel, the Shunxing-39, damaged an undersea data cable to the north of the island on Jan 3.

TAIPEI – The recent severing of an undersea cable off Taiwan has underscored how important it is for the island to strengthen its communications resilience, amid concerns that the critical subsea systems connecting it to the rest of the world may become a target of sabotage in a potential conflict.

On Jan 15, Taiwan’s National Security Bureau said that it plans to step up the monitoring of ships flying so-called flags of convenience, referring to vessels that are registered to countries other than their owners’.

If these ships come close to undersea cables and enter within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan’s coast, the coast guard will board them for investigations, the bureau added in its report to lawmakers ahead of ministers taking questions in Parliament on Jan 16.

While such measures will be useful for now, it remains to be seen if they can achieve a strong enough deterrent effect in the longer term, according to Mr Ian Li Huiyuan, a military expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

“Such ships do exist for innocent reasons – for example, it could simply be cheaper to register a ship in a certain country,” he told The Straits Times. “So it may tax Taiwan’s ability to manage the situation if they’re having to monitor all flag-of-convenience vessels.”

The proposal comes after Taipei said that a China-linked cargo vessel, the Shunxing-39, damaged an undersea data cable to the north of the island on Jan 3. The ship sailed under the Cameroon flag and was also registered in Tanzania, but it was owned by a Hong Kong company, according to Taiwanese officials. All seven crew members on board were Chinese nationals, said Taiwan’s coast guard.

The incident caused minimal disruption to the island’s web traffic after Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom rerouted data to other cables, and there is no direct evidence that the damage inflicted was deliberate.

However the situation has raised concerns among the Taiwanese authorities of it being a possible act of sabotage.

“It is not possible to confirm the real intention of the vessel. However, we cannot rule out the possibility of a Chinese flag-of-convenience ship engaging in grey-zone harassment,” the Taiwan coast guard said in an earlier statement.

In response, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said damage to undersea cables is a “common maritime accident” and that Taiwan was making accusations “out of thin air”.

Taipei has, in recent years, complained about Beijing stepping up its grey-zone warfare – the use of irregular tactics to weaken an adversary without resorting to open combat – in its long-term goal to pursue “reunification” with the island, which it claims as its own territory.

For instance, China has sent balloons and drones into Taiwan’s air-defence identification zone, aimed at intimidating the public and undermining the morale of the military.

Taipei’s alarm surrounding the Shunxing-39 came in the wake of a similar case in the Baltic Sea after a Chinese bulk carrier was linked to the severing of two undersea cables in Swedish territorial waters in November 2024.

In February 2023, the 14,000 residents in Taiwan’s outlying Matsu islands were knocked offline for several weeks, when the only two submarine cables connecting them to the main island were severed by passing ships flying Chinese flags.

The fact that the double damage was done in quick succession, with the second cable being severed within days of the other, startled officials.

In the case of the Shunxing-39, marine data tracking services showed that the vessel had sailed short laps in the waters near northern Taiwan since December 2024, which experts say is unusual.

“The ship made multiple ‘figure eights’ in the water, which could be an indication that it was dragging its anchor across the seabed to cut the cable,” said Dr Su Tzu-yun, a military strategy expert from the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, a Taiwanese think-tank.

If the act was indeed intentional, Dr Su said he believed it was designed to create unease among the Taiwanese public.

“If Taiwan’s undersea cables are completely cut off, its connections to the world are cut off,” he added.

International internet traffic is mostly carried through fibre-optic cables on the ocean floor, with Taiwan connected to the world through 14 such cables.

The cable that was most recently damaged is part of the Trans-Pacific Express Cable System, a nearly 18,000km-long system that connects Taiwan to the US, among other countries.

Damage to undersea communications infrastructure is not rare. According to the UK-headquartered International Cable Protection Committee, there are 150 to 200 cable faults globally every year, mostly caused by fishing and trawling, as well as natural hazards.

However experts are increasingly worried that the vulnerability of these critical systems – which could take weeks to repair if damaged and is a costly affair – could be taken advantage of amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

That is not a new idea. During World War I, the British cut German submarine telegraph cables to force the Germans to communicate on radio where it could be intercepted more easily.

Professor Geoffrey Till, an emeritus professor of maritime studies at King’s College London, said that the latest cable-cutting incident near Taiwan could be part of Beijing’s preparations for war.

“By cutting the cables, China can potentially test the vulnerabilities in Taiwan’s undersea cables, see the extent of network disruption and how long it takes for Taiwan to remedy the damage,” he told The Straits Times.

“As with all grey-zone tactics, it is not immediately clear that the state had instructed the commercial ship owner to cut the cables,” he added, which makes it difficult for affected parties to seek recourse.

Besides its plans to step up surveillance of passing ships, Taiwan has taken a leaf out of Ukraine’s handbook by setting up a backup satellite internet network for emergencies, which has proved to be crucial in keeping locals online amid Russia’s invasion.

So far, Taipei has placed 700 satellite receivers across the island, some of which have already proved useful after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake damaged telecommunications base stations in April 2024.

At the same time, Taiwan has embarked on an ambitious NT$4 billion (S$165 million) project to develop its own satellites to ensure backup connectivity during emergencies, with the first of two indigenous satellites to be launched into space in 2026.

But such satellite networks will not replace subsea cables anytime soon, given that the fibre-optic cables deliver much faster internet speeds, can carry higher traffic loads and are more cost-effective.

“If submarine cables are sabotaged, Taiwan would only be able to rely on bandwidth provided by satellites, which would affect our digital economy, international trade and banking,” said Dr Su, the defence expert.

“Taiwan needs to invest more resources in protecting the undersea cables.”

After cable damage, Taiwan to step up surveillance of flag of convenience ships 01/15/25 (Reuters)

By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Taiwan will step up the surveillance and management of ships carrying flags of convenience, including boarding them, after a Chinese-linked cargo vessel was suspected of damaging an undersea communications cable, the government said. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, said a ship owned by a Hong Kong company but registered both in Cameroon and Tanzania, damaged a cable to the north of the island earlier this month, although it says it has not been able to verify the ship's intentions and was unable to board it due to bad weather.

The ship's owner has denied involvement, and China's government has said Taiwan was making up accusations before the facts were clear. The incident has particularly alarmed Taiwan given it has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging. In a report to lawmakers ahead of ministers taking questions in parliament on Thursday, Taiwan's National Security Bureau said it plans to step up surveillance and management of ships carrying so-called flags of convenience, referring to those registered to other countries than their actual owner.

Such ships which have previously been found to misreport information about them will be put on a list of ships for priority inspection at ports, it said. If these ships enter within 24 nautical miles of Taiwan's coast and are close to where undersea cables are, the coast guard will be dispatched to board them and investigate, the bureau added. Taiwan will also promote greater international cooperation with the United States and Europe over suspected damage to undersea cables, it said.

"The bureau will continue to exchange intelligence with like-minded countries, collect threat alert information, analyse developing trends in sabotage techniques and false covers, and share prevention and response experience." It did not give details. Taiwan's coast guard, in its report to lawmakers, said its priority was to get access to the ship in question as part of its investigation and that areas where cable are located, and their landing points on shore, are key monitoring locations.

Taiwan to Chinese Ship Suspected of Cable Sabotage May Have Had Two AIS Devices 01/07/25 (The Maritime Executive)

Yip Wai Yee The Straits Times

Xing Shun 39 off Taiwan (CGA)

The Chinese-owned ship suspected of damaging a subsea cable off the north coast of Taiwan appears to have been using two different AIS transponders at the same time, according to Taiwan's coast guard.

The incident began Friday at about 1240 hours, when Chungwha Telecom notified Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) that a subsea communications cable had been severed just off the coast of Keelung. The cable was a component of the Trans-Pacific Express, a high-speed fiber optic cable linking China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and the United States.

At about 1700 hours, a CGA patrol boat intercepted the Hong Kong-owned freighter Xing Shun 39 (IMO 8358427) at a position near the cable break. The coast guard crew was unable to board the freighter because of rough surface conditions, and instead of heading for a Taiwanese port, the Xing Shun 39 got under way for Busan, South Korea. It departed Taiwanese jurisdiction later that day.

After the incident, the CGA identified the vessel as the Shunxing-39, a ship that does not exist in IMO records. The authorities now believe that the freighter was using two different AIS devices and two different identities: its legitimate name, Xing Shun 39, and a closely-matched fake name, Shunxing-39. By switching back and forth, the ship created an interrupted AIS record.

William Conroy, an analyst with Semaphore Maritime Solutions, told the New York Times that the ship appeared to switch AIS transponders at about the same time that the Taiwan CGA asked it to halt for an inspection. "Shunxing-39" disappeared from AIS tracking at 1651 hours Friday, and Xing Shun 39 appeared one minute later at a position about 50 feet away.

Though the freighter is now out of reach of Taiwanese authorities, they have asked officials in the port of Busan to help in obtaining evidence from the vessel if it arrives in Korea. The case will be forwarded to the prosecutor's office in Keelung for possible criminal or civil actions against the freighter.

In the meantime, the CGA is launching a comprehensive review of its procedure for responding to potential cable sabotage incidents involving ships, and it is coordinating with other security agencies, officials told state news outlet CNA.

Nine seafarers missing after ship sinks off Taiwan 07/25/24 (Splash247.com)

Adis Ajdin

A Tanzanian-flagged general cargo ship Fu Shun capsized and sank in stormy weather off Taiwan with its nine crewmembers missing.

The 1985-built 56-m-long vessel went down around 19 nautical miles off the coast of Kaohsiung City early morning, after Typhoon Gaemi swept across the island overnight.

Local authorities said the nine crew from Myanmar had abandoned the ship in life jackets and that the search operation would be carried out as soon as weather conditions improved.

The strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan in eight years killed at least three people, with over 200 more injured. The storm has also caused flooding and landslides in the Philippines that killed six and a tanker, TerraNova, carrying 1.4m litres of industrial fuel oil, to sink off Manila with authorities racing to contain a spill.

Taiwan’s National Coast Guard Administration said at least three more ships had run aground, including the Indonesian 10,300 dwt bulker Iriana. No injuries or pollution have been reported in relation to these incidents.

Tanzania named as one of highest risk flags by three port state control bodies
Cameroon announced as very high risk by two of the three regimes 06/06/24 (Lloyd's List)

by Joshua Minchin

Tanzania was the only flag state featured in the highest-risk category for Paris MOU, Tokyo MOU and US Coast Guard

Three ‘high-risk’ flag states hit by triple-listing
Tanzania, Togo and Belize identified among worst performers by three port inspection regimes 06/06/24 (Trade Winds)

By Paul Peachey in London

Tanzania, Togo and Belize have been identified among the world’s worst performing flag states by three separate port inspection regimes.

Tanzania secured the unwanted tag of being labelled “very high risk” on the blacklists of the Paris and Tokyo port inspection authorities and as “high risk” by the US Coast Guard.

The three flag states feature in a short joint submission filed by the port state control regimes to the International Maritime Organization as the regulator looks at ways of harmonising inspection programmes around the world.

Ministry monitors sunken Tanzania-flagged ship in Taiwan　07/26/24 (FOCUS TAIWAN)

Sauli Giliard

DAR ES SALAAM: As the Taiwan rescue team continues to search for the sunken Tanzania-flagged cargo ship with nine crew members, the Ministry of Home Affairs and East African Cooperation is closely monitoring the incident through the country’s Embassy in Beijing, China.

On Friday, various global media outlets, including Aljazeera, DW, and BBC, reported the incident, which occurred after FU SHUN, the general cargo ship, left the southern port city of Kaohsiung when Taiwan was struck by Typhoon Gaemi.

As Tanzania’s flag was involved, the Daily News reached out to the Ministry’s Director of Government Communication Unit, Ambassador Mindi Kasiga, for a comment. She briefly responded, “The Ministry is closely monitoring the details through our Embassy in Beijing, China.”

According to a BBC report, Typhoon Gaemi brought relentless rain to the Philippines, where a tanker carrying close to 1.5 million liters of industrial fuel capsized.

“Sixteen crew members of the Philippine-flagged MT Terra Nova have been rescued, while one remains missing,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.

“Typhoon Gaemi, which made landfall on Taiwan’s east coast on Wednesday, has killed three people and injured hundreds more on the island,” BBC quoted officials.

The Daily News Digital tracked some details of the FU SHUN ship, which is sailing under the Tanzanian flag, and found that the vessel was built in 1985.

According to the Vessel Finder website, as of Saturday afternoon, the 39-year-old freight ship’s latest position was at China Coast, according to details reported 37 hours earlier.

Further information revealed that the vessel was sailing at a speed of 4.3 knots.

“…is a General Cargo Ship built in 1985 (39 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Tanzania,” the Vessel Finder revealed.

The FU SHUN ship is recognized by the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) with registration IMO 8510221.

The sunken cargo ship’s Maritime Mobile Service Identity is MMSI 677069600.

Cargo vessels sink as Typhoon Gaemi sweeps across Taiwan　07/25/24 (THE LOAD STAR)

By Charlotte Goldstone

General cargo vessel Fu Shun has sunk as Tyhpoon Gaemi causes devastation across Taiwan, with many other ships also affected.

The storm has brought flooding, high winds and treacherous waves to Taiwan as it blew through the northern part of the island today, having already killed 25 in the Philippines.

The Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) reported that the Fu Shun began listing about 19 nautical miles off Kaohsiung around 5.45am and sank about an hour later.

A distress call was sent at 6.30am. Nine Myanmar crew members fell overboard.

Two were rescued today after they were found by locals on the coast, and another was found near Fengbitou in Kaohsiung’s seagoing district, according to Tawain News. Six crew members are still missing.

Taiwan News reported: “Rough seas and high winds hampered search and rescue efforts. Authorities said they would monitor weather conditions and deploy rescue teams as soon as possible.”

According to VesselFinder, the Tanzania-flagged freighter measures 56 metres and weighs 599 gross tonnes.

Further, The Guardian reported that an oil tanker, MT Terra Nova, had also capsized, about 7km off the coast of Limay municipality in Bataan province, in the early hours.

The vessel was carrying 1.4m litres of oil and Philippines authorities are reportedly trying to contain a threatened spill that has the potential to be the biggest in Philippines history.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communication reported that five other ships had run aground around Taiwan’s coast, but the crews are safe.

They include Indonesia-flagged cement carrier Iriana, Mongolia-flagged general cargo ship Basia, Tanzania-flagged general cargo ship Xin Li, Cameroon-flagged Gian and Portugal-flagged Sofia.

Typhoon Gaemi is now headed to mainland China.

The Independent reported: “The storm has weakened after landfall in Taiwan but is still packing maximum sustained winds of 140kph near the centre and gusts up to 215kph, equivalent to a category 3 hurricane.”

Typhoon Gaemi causes 6 maritime incidents near Taiwan　07/25/24 (FOCUS TAIWAN)

The Tanzania-registered Ginan is seen off Pingtung County in this photo released on Thursday. The vessel was located 0.1 nautical miles southwest of Qingzhou park in Dapeng Bay, Pingtung County. Photo courtesy of Ocean Affairs Council July 25, 2024

Taipei, July 25 (CNA) Typhoon Gaemi has caused six maritime incidents around Taiwan, with the crew of five of the grounded vessels safe and at no risk of an oil spill.

From Wednesday to Thursday, Typhoon Gaemi affected six cargo ships close to Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung. One of those is the missing Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship "FU SHUN," the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) said in a press release.

OAC Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday that the missing vessel had nine Burmese crew members, with three confirmed survivors. The search for the remaining crew is ongoing.

Kuan added that the initial rescue attempt by the Coast Guard with a 100-ton vessel, was hindered by the severe weather, including force 10 (89-102 km per hour) to 11 winds and poor visibility. Another Taiwanese vessel also reached the scene but found no survivors or signs of the missing ship.

A total of 58 crew members from the five grounded ships are safe. Rescue operations will continue as weather permits, and resources are being prepared to deal with a potential oil spill, Kuan added.

The Ocean Conservation Administration has initiated satellite monitoring and pollution simulations, coordinating with local authorities to manage potential pollution.

OAC Deputy Minister Huang Hsiang-wen (黃向文) said the Coast Guard's Southern Branch has established an emergency response center, with patrol command centers monitoring the situation and coordinating their responses.

(By Chang Yi-lien and Evelyn Yang)

Enditem/AW

From(BALTICSHIPPING.com)
Ship Name:	Mohammad Z, EX-YIN YUAN
IMO:	8805078
Type of ship:	General cargo vessel
Flag:	Tanzania
Gross tonnage:	1995 tons
DWT:	3425 tons
Year of Built:	1988
Builder:	MATSUURA IRON SHIPBUILDING - OSAKIKAMIJIMA, JAPAN
Class society:	Unknown, EX-UNION BUREAU OF SHIPPING
Owner:	Unknown, EX-NAUTIKA INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING - HONG KONG, CHINA

Zanzibar confirm sinking of ship flying Tanzanian flag　05/21/24（THE CITIZEN）

What you need to know: The Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) director general Sheikha Mohamed told The Citizen on Wednesday, May 22, that the authority received an official notice on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, from the Romania Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) concerning the tragedy

Dar es Salaam.Zanzibar Maritime Authority (ZMA) has confirmed that a cargo ship flying the Tanzania flag, named Mohammad Z, tragically sank off the coast of the Black Sea in Romania.

The vessel was transporting a significant load of grains, oil, and oil products at the time of the incident.

The unfortunate event has raised concerns about maritime safety and the impact on trade routes.

ZMA director general Sheikha Mohamed told The Citizen on Wednesday, May 22, that the authority received an official notice on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, from the Romania Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) concerning the tragedy.

“The Tanzanian-flagged ship cargo has indeed sunk in Romania; we are currently waiting for a full report from MRCC. While eight Syrians and three Egyptians have been rescued, three other people on board are missing,” she said.

Declining to provide more details, she said more information would be provided after receiving detailed reports from Romania.

“Currently, we are making follow-up on the incident, and once we are done, the public will be communicated through an official statement,” she said.

Earlier reports indicated that the incident occurred on May 18, leaving three of the 11 crew members missing. Nine of the crew members were Syrians and two were Egyptians.

However, reports didn’t establish the cause of the incident.

Furthermore, according to reports, eight people were rescued by a nearby commercial vessel, Michel, which is coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), with three Syrians missing.

The Black Sea is vital for the transportation of grain, oil, and oil products, and it is shared by several countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia.

Cargo MOHAMMED Z Sinks Off Romanian Coast　05/21/24（maritimescrimes）

On May 18, the cargo ship MOHAMMED Z (Tanzanian flag), owned by a Turkish shipowner, sank approximately 25 miles off the coast of Sfantu Gheorghe, a port located in northeastern Romania near the border with Ukraine.

Out of the 11 crew members, 8 were rescued by the nearby cargo ship MICHAEL (Comorian flag), which was part of the rescue operation coordinated by Romanian authorities. Despite ongoing search efforts, the remaining 3 crew members, all Syrians, are still missing.

Initially, the possibility of a collision with a drifting mine was considered, as this threat persists in the Black Sea region. Since the onset of the Russian-Ukrainian war, drifting mines have posed a constant hazard, prompting neighboring countries to intensify their demining efforts.

On the morning of May 19, upon arriving at the port of Varna, the cargo ship MICHAEL underwent an inspection which revealed hull deformations on its bow. The captain confirmed that an accident with the MOHAMMED Z had occurred, which may ultimately have led to the sinking of the latter vessel.

By focusing on these maritime incidents, we can better understand the risks faced by cargo ships navigating through volatile regions. The situation highlights the importance of vigilance and the continuous need for maritime safety measures.

Ship under Tanzanian flag sinks near Romanian coast　05/21/24（Romania-insider.com）

ABCテレビ

by Radu Dumitrescu

A ship navigating under the Tanzanian flag sank on Saturday morning, May 18, in the Black Sea, after colliding with another 26 nautical miles from the Romanian coast. Eight crew members were rescued, but three were reported missing. At the time this news was published, the searches were suspended. The representatives of the Constanţa Court of Appeal Prosecutor's Office announced that the sinking of the ship under the Tanzanian flag in the Black Sea, near Sfântu Gheorghe, occurred following a collision with another ship, which is now in the Bulgarian port of Varna.

The magistrates have initiated criminal proceedings in the case for destroying or damaging a ship or its cargo and for "the act of the commander or another crew member who, after a navigation accident, orders or causes the ship to leave the scene," according to News.ro.

Romania’s MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) coordinated rescue operations when the alert came in, at around 4:00 AM. The sunken ship, Mohammed Z, flying the Tanzanian flag, had 11 crew members on board, 9 Syrian and 2 Egyptian nationals. Eight of them were rescued by the commercial ship Michel, with which the Mohammed Z collided.

Romania’s Defense Ministry assigned several ships and a helicopter to the area to help with the search.

"An IAR 330 Puma helicopter, from the Romanian Air Force, is conducting a sea search mission on Saturday, May 18, for possible survivors of the sunken ship's crew, which sank this morning in the Black Sea," representatives of the Ministry of National Defense stated, cited by Digi24.

The eight sailors rescued arrived at Constanța Port and underwent medical evaluations. Only one was transported to Constanța County Hospital for further medical investigations due to his injuries.

Witnesses say that the sunken ship did not yield priority to the other, leading to the collision.

"There was a collision between two ships. One of the ships sank, and the other ship, after helping to rescue some of the crew members, headed towards Bulgaria, specifically to the port of Varna,” said Mihaela Elena Mergeane, Chief Prosecutor of the Constanța Court of Appeal.

The Michel was seen in the port, with visible damage to the front. "The obligation of the ship, since it was outside the territorial sea of the Romanian state, is to report this event at the first port of call. This port of call for the ship was Varna,” added Cosmin Dumitrache, ANR Director.

The three sailors who went missing are all Syrian nationals.

After the investigation is completed, the eight surviving sailors will be repatriated to their home countries.

12 people rescued from fire on board Tanzania-flagged cargo ship　04/17/24（SAFETY4SEa）

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was notified on 16th April of a fire onboard a Tanzania-flagged freighter, LAYAR ANGGUN 8(LA8), in Singapore territorial waters off Pedra Branca.

As informed, all 12 crew have been safely recovered onto a Singapore Police Coast Guard craft and are on their way to Singapore.a g

A firefighting vessel from the Singapore Civil Defence Force and MPA patrol craft, including tugs, are en route to provide support.

Luckily, there is no pollution sighted, and there is no immediate risk to navigational safety. MPA is issuing regular navigational broadcasts for passing vessels to keep clear of the vicinity of LA8.

MPA is investigating the incident.

Ships Are Flying False Flags to Dodge Sanctions
Illegal Russian tankers are a maritime nightmare.　01/30/23（FOREIGN POLICY）

Elisabeth Braw

By Elisabeth Braw, a columnist at Foreign Policy and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. FP subscribers can now receive alerts when new stories written by this author are published

The world’s top three ship-owning countries are China, Greece, and Japan. But the top three countries under which ships sail include none of these—nor fourth-ranked United States or fifth-ranked Germany. The flag league is instead led by Panama, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands. They are flag-of-convenience states, economically weak countries that allow vessels to register in their ship registry for a much lower fee than developed countries. The lower fee comes with less service—and less scrutiny—than traditional maritime states offer. Although the former has made flag-of-convenience states popular with countless vessels over the past decades, the latter is now making them extremely attractive to vessels seeking to get around Western sanctions against Russia. Such vessels have begun switching to flag-of-convenience states—or even taken to sailing under their flag without telling them.

And these overburdened maritime nations do little to remove the squatters. Rickety tankers that should be headed for the junkyard are instead roaming the world’s oceans, bringing oil from Russia and its fellow sanctioned nations, Venezuela and Iran, to China and other customers. And it’ll take a major crisis to force the problem to the surface.

“Shipping companies that are trying to get around sanctions are targeting really small registries that are privately managed,” Lloyd’s List Intelligence maritime analyst Michelle Wiese Bockmann told Foreign Policy. “Then they either falsely claim that their ships are flagged there because the country will do nothing about it, or they legitimately flag the vessels there and get the country to issue false company IMO numbers,” referring to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Every shipping company has an identification number with the IMO. But if a shipping company or vessel doesn’t want to be recognized, then they can trick a flag state’s registry into using fake IMO numbers—and since flag-of-convenience states’shipping registries are often poorly resourced, privately managed, or both, officials rarely spend serious time investigating IMO numbers. And shipping companies operating under a false IMO number can be traced only with extreme difficulty.

Shifting registries to avoid sanctions has been going on for a decade or so, ever since Iran’s state-owned oil company discovered that it could get around restrictions on its oil by having its shipping companies register their vessels with twin registries maintained by Tanzania and Zanzibar. (Zanzibar is now part of Tanzania, but the registries date back to the days when it was an independent state.)

Parking the Iranian tankers in the Tanzania-Zanzibar registry wasn’t exactly legitimate, since ships are not supposed to change flags simply to get around sanctions, but as Bockmann points out, “It was done with the knowledge of the privately owned company that manages the Tanzania-Zanzibar registry.” In fact, by registering its vessels in Tanzania-Zanzibar, Iran managed to continue exporting oil. Although traditional maritime states, such as Britain and Greece, comply with sanctions on goods that travel by sea, flag-of-convenience states are often laissez-faire regarding both vessels and cargo. And the world doesn’t have a maritime authority that can track every single vessel, especially if it changes its flag registrati

Malaysia: Four ships under arrest for Illegal bunker fuel transfer　01/11/23（SAFETY4SEA）

by The Editorial Team

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained four ships in Johor waters, on January 9, for illegal activities, including anchoring without permission and transferring oil illegally.

According to Johor MMEA director Maritime First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria, the vessels are suspected of illegally transferring oil at a position of 32 nautical miles east of Tanjung Sedili Besar in Kota Tinggi.

For the offence of illegal oil transfers, 7,000 metric tonnes of Marine Fuel Oil (MFO) worth RM24.5 million were seized for investigation.

The first case was conducted between 10.50am and 11.30am by the agency’s marine patrol boat team on two tankers registered in Penang and Panama.

The second case occurred at 11.40am where a merchant ship from Douglas, Australia was detained at a position of 11.9 nautical miles east of Tanjung Siang.

The last case involved a tanker registered in Zanzibar, Tanzania and was manned by five Indonesian crew members, aged between 26 and 60, when they were detained at 4.14pm.

The detention of the third and fourth vessels was due to anchoring without permission and all crew members, including the respective vessel’s captains, were taken to the MMEA’s Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone for further investigation.

North Korea Ships Engage In Nationality Laundering, Says South Korea 11/21/22 (MaritimeFairtrade)

Key Issues, North Korea, Shipping
By Sunny Um

A North Korea-flagged ship, Wol Bong San, previously accused of illegal transshipment, was spotted near the Busan Port and the authority identified nine GPS signals over three hours on October 25, 2021. However, the South Korean government was not aware it was a blacklisted ship until the annual parliamentary inspection last month.

Rep. Hong Moon-pyo from the ruling People Power Party, who requested data on North Korea-flagged ships from the government, said the fact that the authority did not know about the blacklisted ship entering South Korean waters implied a “serious threat” to the country’s maritime security.

Wol Bong San was caught transporting sanctioned oil to the Nampo Port, North Korea in September 2020. North Korea is under global sanction by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397. The whereabout of the vessel is currently unknown, and its last known location is traced back to the Busan Port last October.

Replying to Hong, the Korea Coast Guard first said it could not know of the ship’s identity because it was not recorded on the port’s the arrival and departure system but later, the Coast Guard claimed the detected GPS signals were inaccurate.

Hong said Wol Bong San was not the only North Korean vessel spotted around the country’s ports. Since 2018, there were 10 ships allegedly owned by North Korea that went through South Korean ports, including Wol Bong San. These ships were either North Korea-flagged or ships once owned by South Korea but now reflagged to other countries.

Out of the 10 ships, six changed their flags from South Korea to North Korea once they departed from South Korean ports. Five of them came through the Busan Port, changed their nationalities to Sierra Leone or Palau, and then sailed to the South China Sea or the international waters near North Korea. Those ships were later found at the Nampo Port in North Korea or caught while transshipping fuel and other containers bound for North Korea.

Hong said if North Korea-flagged ships continue to enter and change their nationalities at South Korean ports, the government will be accused of not complying with the UN Security Council Resolution 2397, since Article 7 required all member states to “prohibit the direct or indirect supply sale or transfer” to North Korea, using vehicles, including “their flag vessels”.

“Under our very eyes, illegal transfers of ownerships of vessels happened in our ports, which were once known to be very secure, but are now laundromats for nationality,” Hong said.

There were cases of North Korean ships found with flags of different countries in the past, too. For example, in 2016, reports said North Korea reflagged more than 50 ships, and 15 percent of them were disguised as Tanzania-flagged ships. In 2018, the Trust Company of the Marshall Islands, the maritime administrator of the country, canceled the registration of a local company whose ship was involved in the transshipment of oil to North Korea.

One reason that explained the frenzied reflagging was the economic difficulties caused by the international sanctions. North Korea’s Sanction Damage Analysis Committee said in 2017 the country was experiencing “immeasurable loss” and called the sanctions an “evil crime”. To overcome sanctions, North Korean ships reflagged to different nationalities and buy or sell resources through mass transshipment.

In 2021, the Royal United Services Institute, a research institute based in the United Kingdom, pointed out the sanctions against North Korea were not effective due to “lax enforcement”, meaning the UN member states were not complying with the regulations, and instead, provided opportunities for the country to avoid them. The institute also recommended member states to monitor illegal activities of North Korea more rigorously.

Rep. Hong also urged the ports, the Korea Coast Guard, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to provide “continuous, systematic responsive measures” in monitoring North Korea to comply with international regulations.

クリミア沖で貨物船2隻が炎上　少なくとも11人死亡　01/22/19（BBC NEWWS JAPAN）

ウクライナ南部クリミア半島沖の、黒海とアゾフ海を結ぶケルチ海峡近くで21日、タンザニア船籍の貨物船2隻が絡む爆発・炎上事故が発生した。当局は、これまでに少なくとも11人の死亡が確認されたと発表している。

貨物船「キャンディ」（別名ヴェニス）にはトルコとインド出身の乗員17人が、もう一方の貨物船「マエストロ」には14人が乗船していた。

貨物船の1隻は、ガス燃料を積んでいた。爆発が起きた直後に火災が発生し、もう1隻に燃え移ったと報じられている。

ロシア連邦海洋河川輸送局のアレクセイ・クラフチェンコ報道官によると、最初の出火は、1隻からもう1隻へ燃料の移し変えを行っている最中に起き、複数の乗組員が海に飛び込んだ。

ロシアの救助隊が、船外に避難したタンザニア船籍の乗組員の救助活動を進め、これまでに14人が救助された。

報道によると、ロシアの救助隊が海中でもがく3人を目撃したというが、死亡した可能性が高いという。

AFP通信は、それぞれの貨物船の船長はどちらも緊急信号を発信しなかったと伝えている。

クリミア半島ケルチの市当局は、犠牲者の受け入れ準備を進めている。

当局によると、出火当時の2隻は黒海の「中立」な公海を航行中だった。

貨物船2隻の名前は、アメリカ財務省の一覧に記載されていて、シリアに石油を輸送したとして制裁対象だった可能性がある。

アメリカは2011年に、シリアのバシャール・アル・アサド大統領がシリア国民に対し「継続的な残虐行為」を行っているとして、対シリア制裁を強化した。

ケルチ海峡はロシアとウクライナ間の緊張の焦点となっている。

昨年11月、ロシアが黒海とアゾフ海を結ぶケルチ海峡近くでウクライナ海軍艦3隻を拿捕したことで、両国の緊張が高まっている。

From(Maritime Connector.com)
Ship Name:	KANDY
IMO:	9004683
Type of ship:	OIL PRODUCTS TANKER
Flag:	SRI LANKA
Gross tonnage:	717 tons
DWT:	1038 tons
Year of Built:	1990
Builder:	SHIN KURUSHIMA HASHIHAMA DOCKYARD - HASHIHAMA, JAPAN
Class society:	INDIAN SHIPPING REGISTER
Manager & Owner:	INTEROCEAN ENERGY - COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
Former names:	WARNA until 2008 Sep KANDY until 2007 Nov WARNA until 2007 Sep ASANO MARU until 2005 Nov

From(Maritime Connector.com)
Ship Name:	MAESTRO (EX-GRETA KOSAN)
IMO:	8810700
Type of ship:	LPG TANKER
Flag:	TANZANIA (EX-Mongolia ← EX-U.K.)
Gross tonnage:	4086 tons
DWT:	4811 tons
Year of Built:	1990
Builder:	HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES - ULSAN, SOUTH KOREA
Class society:	Unknown (EX-BUREAU VERITAS)
Manager & Owner:	Maestro Shipping Ltd, Anguilla (British West Indies)
Former names:	GREEn LIGHT until 2015 Sep GRETA KOSAN until 2015 Feb

20 People Allegedly Killed in the Fire of Ships in Crimea　01/22/19 （MARITIME HERALD）

The fire on Monday night (January 21, 2019) of two ships carrying gas near the Kerch Strait in the Crimea , most likely caused 20 deaths, announced Russian authorities on Tuesday. The rescue teams saved 12 sailors and found 10 bodies, said Alexei Kravchenko, spokesman for the Russian federal agency for maritime and river transport .

Another 10 sailors are still missing and are supposed to have died, he said. “There is no hope of finding them alive. It is no longer a rescue operation, “he said, adding that the missing persons sank” before the eyes of the rescuers “without life jackets . The fire started at a time when they transferred fuel from one ship to the other, so both crews jumped overboard.

The boats Kandy and Maestro, of Tanzanian flag, have crews from India and Turkey . The Kandy had a crew of 17 members, and the Master of 15, according to the Russian authorities. “Our embassy in Moscow is in permanent contact with the Russian agencies concerned to obtain more information about the affected Indians and to provide the necessary assistance,” the Indian authorities said in a statement. According to Alexéi Kravchenko, the fire has not yet been extinguished. “There’s an infinite amount of fuel there,” he said. The place where the accident occurred is near the Kerch Strait, which has become a new source of tension between Russia and Ukraine .

In November,Russia fired and boarded three Ukrainian Navy vessels in this strait, sparking the first direct military incident between Kiev and Moscow since 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula .

14 dead after fire on two vessels off Crimea　01/21/19 （FRANCE 24）

Fourteen people were killed and five were missing off Russia-annexed Crimea in the Black Sea on Monday after a fire engulfed gas tankers sailing under the flag of Tanzania, authorities said.

"There are 11 bodies," Alexei Kravchenko, spokesman for Russia's Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport, told AFP.

"Another three people went under water before rescue workers' eyes."

Those three are most likely dead, he said.

The ships, the Kandy and the Maestro, had crews of nationals from India and Turkey.

The Kandy had a 17-strong crew, while the Maestro carried 14 people.

Twelve people had survived, Kravchenko said, but "no one knows where the other five people are".

The fire broke out when one vessel was transferring fuel to the other, driving both crews to jump overboard, said Kravchenko.

"A search-and-rescue operation is continuing," Kravchenko added.

Authorities in the Crimean city of Kerch were preparing to receive the victims, he added.

The accident struck close to the Kerch Strait, which has become a new flashpoint in tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

In November, Russia fired on and seized three Ukrainian navy vessels in the Kerch Strait as they tried to pass from the Black Sea to the Azov Sea.

The confrontation was the first open military clash between Kiev and Moscow since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and a pro-Russian insurgency erupted in eastern Ukraine.

クリミア沖でガス輸送船が炎上、14人死亡 燃料移し替え中に火災　01/22/19（AFP）

【1月22日 AFP】ロシアがウクライナから併合したクリミア（Crimea）半島沖の黒海（Black Sea）で21日、タンザニア船籍のガス輸送船2隻が燃料の移し替えをしていたところ火災が発生し、14人が死亡、5人が行方不明となっている。ロシア当局が明らかにした。

　ロシア連邦海洋河川輸送局（Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport）の報道官はAFPに対し、11人が遺体で収容されたほか、救助隊が海中で目視した3人も死亡した可能性が高いとして、生存者は12人いるが「残る5人がどこにいるかは誰にも分からない」と述べた。

　報道官によれば、火災はガス輸送船「カンディ（Kandy）」と「マエストロ（Maestro）」の間で燃料の移し替えをしている際に発生し、双方の乗組員らが海に飛び込んだ。捜索救助活動は現在も続いているという。2隻の乗組員の国籍はインドとトルコで、カンディに17人、マエストロに14人が乗っていた。

　現場はクリミア（Crimea）半島沖のケルチ海峡（Kerch Strait）の近く。ロシア当局は昨年11月、同海峡を通って黒海からアゾフ海（Sea of Azov）に抜けようとしていたウクライナ海軍艦3隻を砲撃の末に拿捕（だほ）し、ケルチ海峡はロシアとウクライナの新たな火種となっている。

北朝鮮密輸防止へ米が制裁　発表時期、韓国牽制の意図か　02/24/18（朝日新聞）

ワシントン＝峯村健司

　米財務省は２３日、北朝鮮による制裁逃れの密輸に関わった中国や香港などの２７の海運会社と２８船舶、個人１人を新たに制裁対象にしたと発表した。海上で石炭や石油などの積み荷を移し替える密輸を封じ込める狙いがある。トランプ大統領は２３日の演説で「対北朝鮮制裁では最も厳しいものだ」と語り、核開発に使われる燃料や資金源を断つ考えを示した。

　トランプ氏の長女、イバンカ大統領補佐官がこの日、平昌（ピョンチャン）冬季五輪の閉会式に出席するために訪韓し、文在寅（ムンジェイン）大統領と会談した。このタイミングで制裁を発表することで、トランプ政権として北朝鮮に核放棄させるための「最大限の圧力」政策を緩めない方針を明確に打ち出し、五輪をきっかけに北朝鮮と融和路線に傾く韓国側を牽制（けんせい）する意図もありそうだ。

　財務省によると、今回対象となった海運会社は、北朝鮮のほか、香港、中国、台湾、シンガポールなどに拠点を置く。ロシア企業から北朝鮮に石油を密輸した台湾人１人も対象となった。米国内の資産が凍結されるほか、米国企業との取引が禁止される。船舶には、タンザニアやパナマなどの船籍も含まれていた。北朝鮮が密輸の発覚を逃れるために偽装していたものとみられる。

　これらの船舶は、北朝鮮産の石炭を輸出する一方、石油精製品を輸入していたとされる。１回あたり５５０万ドル（約５億８千万円）相当の石炭を運搬していたという。（ワシントン＝峯村健司）

Marine accident round-up : 16th April 2018（Insurance Marine News）
Small 15-ton fishing vessel 2007 Yeongheung was in collision with fishing vessel Xing Yue (IMO 8007705, but see below) shortly after midnight on April 12th while the latter was en route from Busan to China. The smaller vessel capsized. A guard vessel and private boats were deployed to the accident site. Five people were missing, one more was recovered unconscious, who later died. The capsized ship was searched by two divers of the Mokpo Marine Police, but they were hampered by nets, ropes and Styrofoam in the sea. Four helicopters were deployed. After dawn, two more bodies were found inside the fishing boat. The Xing Yue was disabled by the damage suffered and anchored at the accident site in the Gyeongnam Province. The relevant IMO names the vessel as Gral on both Equasis and Marine Traffic. 1980-built, Tanzania-flagged, 498 gt Gral is owned and managed by BHG Co Ltd SA of Panama City, Panama.
http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/bulletin/2018/04/12/0200000000AKR20180412039700054.HTML?input=facebook

かじ故障の貨物船えい航へ　北海道知床岬沖　02/21/18（産経新聞）

　第１管区海上保安本部（北海道小樽市）は２１日、知床岬北西沖でかじが故障し漂流しているタンザニア船籍の貨物船について、救助に向かった巡視船が現場に到着し、２２日朝にも稚内港沖に向けてえい航すると発表した。.

　１管によると、ロシア人やインドネシア人、ウクライナ人の乗員計２８人にけがはなく、体調不良を訴える人もいない。２１日午後、知床岬から北西約１３５キロの海域で巡視船が貨物船と合流し、流氷を砕くなどしてえい航に向けた準備をした。.

　貨物船は１８日午前、「かじが故障して漂流している」と１１８番し、巡視船が救助に向かっていた。.

Tanzania suspends foreign ship registration 01/22/2018 (Splash247)

Jason Jiang

Tanzanian president John Magufuli has issued an order to suspend the registration of foreign vessels in Tanzania after ships flying the Tanzanian flag were involved in drug trafficking, AFP reports.

The country has started investigations into 470 vessels currently registered to the flag to check if their activities are above board.

“We cannot allow the name of our country to be tarnished by individuals pursuing their selfish interests,” Magufuli said.

Last week, Tanzania withdrew flags from two vessels involved in the transporting of drugs and arms.

The Tanzanian flag was listed as the second worst in the world in Paris MOU’s latest White, Grey and Black List report, which ranks the quality of shipping flags. The report also considered the Tanzanian flag as high risk.

April 2017 List of ships which violated EU-UN Crimean sanctions　06/02/17 （MARITIME BULLETIN）

Vigilante group Maidan of Foreign Affairs and Black Sea News, which are jointly monitoring Crimean Shipping and run a database of sanctions perpetrators, publish their regular monthly April Report. 75 vessels which called Crimean ports were recorded, including 55 vessels deployed in active trade (including 19 ferries), and 20 under repairs or in lay-up. Flag distribution statistics:
Syria – 1
Moldova – 1
Comoros – 1
Togo – 1
Saint Kitts & Nevis – 1
Sierra Leone – 2
Panama – 2
Mongolia – 3
Palau – 3
Russia – 60 (80%)

List of vessels which violated sanctions and Ukrainian Laws:
Full list with details can be seen here: http://www.blackseanews.net/read/130666 WARNING: Vessels recorded in Ukrainian Violators Database can be considered as vessels in high risk zone – they can be arrested or detained in EU countries after Ukraine claim, or confiscated if calling Ukrainian ports.
Crimea was annexed by Russia in year 2014, and as such, is considered by international community as an occupied territory, subject to Ukrainian and Maritime International Laws.

DENIZNew Flag: Comoros IMO: 7361635
IVAN Flag: Comoros IMO: 8414283
AMUR-2516 Flag: Moldova IMO: 8721428
METAL (TALA) Flag: Mongolia IMO: 8012114
GREEN ENERGY
New Name: VENICE IMO: 9005479
LEONARDO New Flag: Mongolia IMO: 7529641
NARVA New Flag: Palau IMO: 9631905.
NOVOROSSIYSK (ULUSOY 1) Flag: Palau IMO: 7822160
MORYAK Flag: Palau IMO: 8881266
FOM Flag: Panama IMO: 8100624
LITTLE WIND Flag: Panama IMO: 8863018
LIMAN Flag: Russia IMO: 7618272
ARMAN-1 Flag: Russia IMO: 8872590
NEFTERUDOVOZ 43M Flag: Russia IMO: 8133669
AGIOS LAVRENTIOS New Flag: Russia IMO: 8647866
MARIA ELENI New Flag: Russia IMO: 9617923
BORIS SHTOKOLOV (YENER C) New Flag: Russia IMO: 9545522
PROTOPOROS VI New Flag: Russia IMO: 9657222
IRTYSH New Flag: Russia IMO: 8841539
GLIKOFILOYSA II New Flag: Russia IMO: 9554638
PROTOPOROS IV New Flag: Russia IMO: 9688611
ANT Flag: Russia IMO: 8407230
KUDMA 4 Flag: Russia IMO: 9100190
VOLGO-BALT 144 Flag: Russia IMO: 8857801
VOLGO BALT 203 Flag: Russia IMO: 8841620
RM3 New Flag: Russia IMO: 8877241
ZELENGA Flag: Russia IMO: 8862856
BEREZOVETS Flag: Russia IMO: 8885200
VOLGO BALT 156 New Flag: Russia IMO: 8867442
NEFTERUDOVOZ 29M Flag: Russia IMO: 7740570
GLYKOFILOUSA III New Flag: Russia IMO: 8647854
OLYMPIADA New Flag: Russia IMO: 8611532
ROBUR New Flag: Russia IMO: 8716954.
KRYM New Flag: Russia IMO: 7727425
NADYM Flag: Russia IMO: 9142904
LENANEFT 2068 Flag: Russia IMO: 8879847
SOVETSKAYA RODINA Flag: Russia IMO: 7636860.
MEE Flag: Russia IMO: 6603177
NIKOLAY AKSENENKO Flag: Russia IMO: 9711250
PETROVSK Flag: Russia IMO: 8841474
SAM O’CAT Flag: Russia IMO: 8848305
SEVASTOPOL Flag: Russia IMO: 6523951
TASE Flag: Russia IMO: 8857978
ABRAMTSEVO Flag: Russia IMO: 8947955
ANATOLIY GAVRILOV Flag: Russia IMO: 8878764
ANNENKOV Flag: Russia IMO: 8841450
BAYKALSK Flag: Russia MMSI: 273427550
БФИ-1 (FERUZ) Flag: Russia IMO: 9411874
CONRO TRADER Flag: Russia IMO: 7711763
YEYSK New Flag: Russia IMO: 8725565
KORSAKOV Flag: Russia IMO: 8724793
AKADEMIK ANDREEV Flag: Russia IMO: 6825426
PRANIK Flag: Russia IMO: 8986884
SOLIDAT Flag: Russia IMO: 7614599
PECHORA Flag: Russia IMO: 8714009
TROFA Flag: Russia IMO: 6604573
PYOTR LIDOV Flag: Russia IMO: 7337684
MEZHDURECHENSK Flag: Russia IMO: 8948167
ELENA (GLYKOFILOUSA) Flag: Russia IMO: 9774501
AVANGARD Flag: Russia IMO: 9522403
KAPITAN BARMIN Flag: Russia IMO: 9269350
KOLGUEV Flag: Russia IMO: 7111420
YAZ Flag: Russia IMO: 9735323
NINA MALKOVA Flag: Russia IMO: 9818785
VOLGONEFT-270 Flag: Russia IMO: 8230986 (-)
SPASSK Flag: Russia IMO: 8947670 (-)
VOLGONEFT-208 Flag: Russia IMO: 8230821 (-)
AMUR 2515 Flag: Saint Kitts Nevis IMO: 8721416
PRINCESSA ELENA Flag: Sierra Leone IMO: 8888824
NADALINA Flag: Sierra Leone IMO: 8215754
LAODICEA Flag: Syria IMO: 9274343

北朝鮮、タンザニア船籍で制裁破り　10/20/2016（ デイリーNKジャパン）

国連の制裁の対象となっている北朝鮮の船舶が、タンザニアの船籍を取得し、運航を続けていることが明らかになった。報じたのは、米国の北朝鮮専門ニュースサイトの「NKニュース」と、北朝鮮医師によるインチキ治療問題を追跡し続けてきたタンザニアの日刊紙「ザ・シティズン」だ。

ザ・シティズンは10月10日の記事で、北朝鮮が所有している、または関係がある50隻の船舶が、制裁が発効した今年3月以降にタンザニアの船籍を取得した疑惑を報じた。また、NKニュースは北朝鮮船舶の15％がタンザニア船籍で運航していると報じた。

タンザニア船籍の登録を受け付けているのは、タンザニア連合共和国内のザンジバル自治政府の海事庁系の機関「タンザニア・ザンジバル国際船舶登録（TZIRS）」だが、自治政府のインフラ通信交通省のムスタファ・アバウド・ジャンベ大臣は当初「真っ赤なウソ」と報道を強く否定していた。

一方、タンザニア連合共和国のマヒガ外相は「国連の制裁に関連してわが国がまたもやトラブルに巻き込まれた」と怒りを露わにした。

同国では2012年、当時経済制裁下にあったイランの船舶36隻が、ザンジバルでタンザニア船籍を取得したことが明らかになり、同自治政府は船舶を抹消している。登録代行を請け負っていたのは、アラブ首長国連邦のドバイのエージェントだ。

大臣は「連合政府は国連の制裁対象国の船舶に船籍を与えることに断固反対しているが、悪名高いドバイのエージェントの制裁破りが問題だ」と、ザンジバル海事庁と取引のあったエージェントのフィルテックス社を非難した。

外相の発言の後、ザンジバル海事庁はタンザニア船籍を与えた北朝鮮船舶は50隻にのぼることを明らかにし、そのうち13隻の登録を抹消、今後も順次抹消を行うと発表した。

「ザ・シティズン」は、TZIRSに問題が多く、同機関、ザンジバル自治政府、タンザニア連合政府との間でオンラインの登録、情報共有システムが存在せず、監督体制に穴があることを指摘している。

アフリカの船舶事情に精通した情報筋が米政府系のラジオ・フリー・アジア（RFA）に語ったところによると、TZIRSは2016年6月以前に登録した外国船舶の船籍はすべて抹消したと主張しているが、現状も承認件数、抹消件数も何一つ明らかになっていない。

タンザニアは、アフリカ本土のタンガニーカと、インド洋に浮かぶザンジバルの2地域からなる連合国家で、ザンジバルには独自の憲法、政府、議会があり、大統領もいる。外交、国防などを除く多くの分野で広範な自治権を認められている。そのため、ザンジバルには中央政府の監督が行き届かないシステムとなっている。

北朝鮮当局は、連合国家特有の体制、1隻2～3万ドル（約208万円～312万円）の手頃な登録費に目をつけて、同所での登録を行っていたものと思われる。また、ザンジバル自治政府は、パナマやリベリアのような便宜置籍船国として、北朝鮮船舶の登録を受け付けて、税収増大を狙っていたものと思われる

イラン、36隻でタンザニア船籍取得　欧米の制裁逃れか　08/12/2012（日本経済新聞）

【ナイロビ=共同】イランの石油タンカーやコンテナ船など36隻が、アフリカ東部タンザニアの船籍を取得していたことが12日までに、同国島しょ部のザンジバル自治政府の調査で判明した。ロイター通信などが伝えた。核開発を進めるイランに対する欧米の制裁を逃れ、原油輸出を続けるための措置とみられる。

ザンジバル自治政府によると、船籍取得の手続きはアラブ首長国連邦（UAE）ドバイの代理業者が行った。同自治政府は関知していないとし、36隻のタンザニア船籍を抹消する作業を開始した。

米政府は、イラン国営タンカー公社（NITC）の船舶が南太平洋の島国ツバルの船籍を取得し、原油輸出を継続しているとも指摘している。