A high-risk tanker that was transmitting the fraudulent flag registry of Malawi transited the Suez Canal on July 18, in breach of the Suez Canal Authority’s rules of navigation.
Malawi is designated as a fraudulent registry by the International Maritime Organization, which lists the EU- and UK-sanctioned tanker Night Glory (IMO 9319674) as falsely flagged. This designation invalidates any insurance, safety, and seaworthiness certificates the vessel may hold, raising serious questions about how it secured transit approval from the Suez Canal Authority.
Under the Suez Canal Authority’s navigation rules, vessels are required to hold valid classification certificates issued by a recognized classification society.
The Rise of False Registries and Sanctioned Tankers
The emergence of hundreds of falsely flagged ships operating outside global maritime conventions and regulations is now one of the largest threats to the regulatory integrity of world trade.
The ships also pose growing legal and compliance risk for marine service providers, who risk exposure to regulatory breaches, uninsured liabilities, and potential…