Vessel falsely flying Guyana flag detained by Venezuela – MARAD

The vessel in question (Ultimas Noticias photo)
The vessel in question (Ultimas Noticias photo)

The Maritime Administra-tion Department (MARAD) yesterday said  that the chemical tanker, “Four Plus” bearing IMO No. 9203920, which was recently detained by Venezuelan authorities for unauthorised entry into that State’s waters was falsely flying the Guyana flag.

“The vessel is not registered in Guyana, so it is not authorised to fly the Guyana flag or claim Guyanese nationality”, MARAD said.

MARAD reminded stakeholders and the public that it operates a closed Ships’ Registry, and does not offer a flag of convenience.

It noted that recent media reports highlighted the sanctioning of five oil tankers linked to a Syrian conglomerate with ties to Iran and Venezuela by the United States Treasury Department. These vessels also bore false registration documents.

“The issues of fraudulently registered vessels and the operation of a global shadow fleet remain on the radar of the global maritime community”, MARAD said. The IMO at the 112th Session of its Legal Committee, scheduled for March this year, is expected to further develop measures to prevent these unlawful practices, MARAD added.