Cameroon has begun suspending and deregistering vessels linked to the so-called shadow fleet from its maritime register, following pressure from the European Union and Ukraine over the use of its flag by ships accused of evading sanctions on Russian oil.
Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute convened a high-level meeting in early February with relevant ministries, including Transport and Fisheries, to address concerns about the registration of vessels identified as part of the shadow fleet.
The government said it would immediately suspend new registrations of such ships and move to rapidly remove those already listed under the Cameroonian flag.
The action follows growing scrutiny from European authorities. Correspondence dated 4 February from Cameroon’s ambassador to Brussels referred to European concerns about the number of Cameroonian-flagged vessels linked to the shadow fleet, as Western governments intensify monitoring of ships suspected of circumventing sanctions imposed after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
According to Clarksons Research, Cameroon’s flag registry expanded by 126% over the past 12 months, making it Africa’s third largest.
The growth has largely been attributed to Russian-linked tonnage joining
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