On 12 January, Venezuelan authorities detained the “Four Plus,” a Guyana-flagged tanker, for illegally entering Venezuelan waters without the necessary permits.
The vessel was held at Port Guamache, Nueva Esparta, with a crew of Chinese nationals on board. The detention prompted an immediate investigation by a joint commission including military, intelligence, and maritime authorities. In a statement, Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department clarified that the “Four Plus” was falsely flying the Guyana flag, as it was not registered in the country and was unauthorized to claim Guyanese nationality
In December 2024, Guyana’s Maritime Administration had clarified that the Syrian-owned oil tankers that have been sanctioned by the United States (US) Department of Treasury were fraudulently carrying Guyana Flag.
The issue of fraudulent vessel registrations and the global shadow fleet will be discussed at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 112th Legal Committee session, where further measures are expected to be developed to combat these practices.
Reports indicate that since March 2023, the number of ships wrongly flagged as fraudulent has more than doubled, reaching 223 vessels in the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS).
