Cameroon Begins Suspending, Deregistering Shadow Fleet Vessels From National Register

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 the register. Data also shows that the average age of vessels flying the Cameroonian flag is 32.7 years.

Government correspondence reviewed by local media indicated that the February meeting focused on identifying and removing factors that allowed vessels involved in sanction-evasion activities to obtain Cameroonian registration.

Officials also stated that additional measures could be introduced to address concerns raised by international partners.

Transport Minister Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe stated on 6 February that ongoing verification of the maritime register had uncovered several cases of fraudulent registrations carried out using unauthorised applications.

He said the government condemned the fraudulent use of the flag and denied responsibility for those illegal acts.

However, internal records cited in the matter show that more than 200 Cameroonian-flagged vessels were officially registered by the Transport Ministry at the ports of Douala, Kribi and Limbe.

Several Cameroonian-flagged ships have been seized in recent months for illegal fishing, cocaine trafficking or alleged involvement in the Russian oil shadow fleet, and in most instances were among officially registered vessels.

The issue has taken on added diplomatic significance. In December 2025, the Ukrainian president sanctioned three Cameroonian-flagged vessels linked to the shadow fleet.

Cameroon previously carried out a registry purge in 2023 after receiving a “red card” from the European Union over illegal fishing. In 2024, the Transport Ministry announced the digitalisation of vessel registration procedures.

Separate data from Windward shows that throughout 2025, more than 300 shadow fleet tankers involved in sanctioned Iranian, Venezuelan or Russian oil trades shifted to fraudulent flags, often after repeated flag changes.

References: businessincameroon, safety4sea

Source: Maritime Shipping News