Madagascar has raised the alarm over the worrying surge in the number of ships operating in international waters illegally flying its flag. Nine such vessels have been identified over the last few months. Ships that have presented forged documents certifying their registration with the Malagasy flag state.
Madagascar has become the latest target of a growing global phenomenon. Often, African nations with less stringent controls or registration systems undergoing updates are exploited by shell companies to evade international oil sanctions.
According to experts, a genuine trade in false registers is developing for shipowners who need a cover that is difficult to trace.
The situation is being closely monitored because the number of vessels falsely claiming to fly the Madagascan flag is believed to be higher than nine. Data shows that there have been over 20 suspicious vessels just in the last month.
Translation by Giles Foster
