Cameroon purges 39 ships from its registry after fraudulent links to Russia's shadow fleet emerge

Cameroon has removed 39 vessels from its national ship registry after an official investigation found they were fraudulently operating under the country's flag as part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," highlighting growing international efforts to crack down on sanctions evasion in the global oil trade.

• Cameroon has removed 39 vessels from its ship registry after discovering their fraudulent use as part of Russia's 'shadow fleet' to evade sanctions.
• This action follows increased European efforts to crack down on vessels suspected of helping Russia circumvent sanctions over its war in Ukraine.
• Several ships were found to be using illegal Cameroonian registrations obtained through fraudulent websites.
• Operation IRINI, the EU's expanded naval mission, now has greater authority to inspect and detain ships linked to shadow fleet activity.

The move comes as European authorities intensify enforcement against vessels suspected of helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions imposed over its war in Ukraine.

According to Reuters, the European Union has expanded the powers of its naval mission in the Mediterranean, allowing it to stop, board, detain and inspect ships believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet.

The Central African nation said its investigation uncovered several ships that had been illegally flying the Cameroonian flag, while two fraudulent websites had been used to assign the country's registry to vessels without authorization, Reuters reported.

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Cameroon's Transport Ministry said it is working with international partners to safeguard the integrity of its maritime registry and combat illegal vessel registrations.

"Cameroon is cooperating with international authorities and organisations to enforce maritime rules, protect the credibility of its naval registry, and fight against irregular registrations," the ministry said in a statement to Reuters.

The ministry added that Cameroon cannot be held responsible for the activities of vessels once they have been removed from its registry.

Europe expands crackdown on Russia's shadow fleet

The deregistration comes shortly after the European Union expanded the mandate of Operation IRINI, its naval mission in the Mediterranean, on June 8.

Under the new rules, the mission can stop, board, detain and inspect ships suspected of belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, according to Reuters.

Russia has increasingly relied on aging tankers operating under various national flags to transport its oil while avoiding Western sanctions.

These vessels often lack recognized Western insurance and safety certifications, making it difficult for authorities to verify their ownership, cargo and movements.

Reuters reported that three tankers recently inspected by Operation IRINI — the Nelsa, the Oneiroi and the Sandhya — were found to be using fraudulent Cameroonian registrations, citing two European military sources.

In addition, nine vessels have reportedly been seized by the French, Belgian, British and Swedish navies since the start of 2026, including five sailing under Cameroonian flags.

The latest vessel intercepted was the Deliver, which was detained by the French navy on June 25 near Sicily after authorities found it was sailing under a Cameroonian flag despite having already been removed from the country's registry, Reuters reported.

Cameroon under scrutiny

Cameroon has increasingly come under international scrutiny over the misuse of its ship registry.

According to Reuters, the country has emerged as one of the world's major conduits for fraudulent shipping registrations in recent years.

In 2024, the United Arab Emirates barred Cameroon-flagged vessels from entering its ports unless they possessed top-tier international safety certification.

In a June 16 letter to the United Nations' shipping agency seen by Reuters, Cameroon's government said its investigation confirmed that several vessels had been unlawfully operating under its flag through fraudulent registration channels, leading authorities to remove 39 ships from the registry.

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The European Union is expected to further tighten restrictions in the coming weeks. Reuters reported that a new sanctions package under discussion could add another 30 vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet to the bloc's sanctions list while expanding restrictions to ships involved in refuelling sanctioned vessels or transferring their cargo.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said last month the objective is to strengthen enforcement across member states and reduce Russia's ability to finance its war through oil exports, while also addressing the growing environmental and maritime safety risks posed by poorly maintained shadow fleet tankers.