Malawi calls for action against fraudulent use of registry
Ships claim non-existent registry
MALAWI: Responding to news articles highlighting the fraudulent use of Malawi as a flag state, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works has written to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to confirm that the country does not operate an international ships registry and call for action against those ships claiming to be flagged by the landlocked country.
“The Government of the Republic of Malawi would like to clarify that, currently, Malawi does not have an international ship registry. Therefore, those vessels are fraudulently registered, and it is our conviction that the appropriate action has to be taken against the fraudsters. Should Malawi open an international registry in the future, the International Maritime Organisation and other relevant institutions will be duly informed,” writes David Mzandu, Secretary for Transport and Public Works.
“Malawi does not have an international ship registry. Therefore, those vessels are fraudulently registered, and it is our conviction that the appropriate action has to be taken against the fraudsters.”
He adds that the Government has reported the fraudulent use of the flag to Interpol. “It is hoped that Interpol is going to investigate these illegal activities. In addition, it will be noted that these fraudsters provided signatures, a fake Government seal, contact details, and an entity that is not related to the Malawi Government,” he continues.
The correspondence is intended to alert the IMO and members states and urges port states to detain the vessels for further inspection.
“The Government of Malawi remains committed to upholding international maritime safety and environmental protection standards and stands ready to cooperate further in addressing this issue,” writes Mzandu.
The letter follows news reports on fake fleets that highlights the registration of four tankers with the Malawi International Shipping Registry. The article, published in Lloyd’s List last month prompted queries from international entities asking the Government of Malawi for more information about the relationship between the national registry and these vessels.
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