Caribbean Island of St. Maarten Warns of Flag and Seafarer Document Fraud
The government of the independent nation of Saint Maarten in the Caribbean has become the latest to warn of fraudulent operations promoting its supposed international flag registry and the issuance of seafarer papers. It reports that it has been working with the International Maritime Organization and the Kingdom of the Netherlands to warn of these fraudulent representations and to firmly declare these operations are not authorized or associated with the country.
“Our integrity is not for sale, and our flag will not be misused,” declared Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunications for the Country St. Maarten. She warns that St. Maarten does not operate an international flag registry nor does it issue seafarers’ papers, documents, or ship certificates for vessels exceeding 500 gross tons.
The Equasis database currently lists 20 vessels as falsely displaying the flag of Saint Maarten. It includes a 160,000 GT crude oil tanker, a 114,000 GT LNG carrier, and a total of 16 tankers. There is also one bulker claiming to be flagged in the country.
St. Maarten reports that it first became aware of this fraud nearly five years ago when a concerned seafarer from India questioned the authenticity of his certificate. The individual told the government he had experienced difficulties verifying the legitimacy of the documents and became suspicious.
The Ministry reports it launched an investigation and immediately notified the Government of the Netherlands. Also working with the IMO and the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding organization, an international warning went out to MOU member states and flag states around the world.
“The Ministry deeply regrets the losses incurred by innocent seafarers who, through no fault of their own, have been misled and financially harmed by these deceptive operations. We are committed to pursuing every legal avenue and collaborating with international partners to eradicate these fraudulent activities and seek justice against those responsible,” Heyliger-Marten says in the government statement.
The Ministry highlights the websites of two companies, Maritime Safety & Technical Administration (MSTA) and IMS Registry, as examples of online sites offering services for the purported registry. The Ministry says its investigation identified that “fraudulent certificates and documents” were being issued, and it declares, “These organizations falsely claim authorization from or association with Country St. Maarten.”
It further reports that the Netherlands escalated the matter with U.S. authorities. The U.S. authorities it says confirmed that the MSTA Registry “had fraudulent links to St. Maarten, Belize, and California.”
St. Maarten has continued its campaign against the fraud by alerting the IMO. It is also urging all seafarers, employers, and maritime stakeholders to verify credentials through official channels and to contact St. Maarten’s Maritime Affairs Office if there are any doubts or questions.
This is the latest example of countries reporting that their identity is being used improperly. In 2022, Equatorial Guinea reported it was also launching a crackdown on fraudulent ships. The rise of the so-called shadow fleet has also seen an increase in false flag reports. After the U.S. sanctioned five tankers in December 2024 that claimed registry in Guyana, the country’s government issued a denial, reporting it does not operate an open registry. It said only companies and individuals in Guyana can apply for its registry and denied any association with the tankers.
Stena Bulk Completes Reflagging of Stena Sunrise to Swedish Flag
[By: Stena Bulk]
Leading tanker shipping company Stena Bulk has today announced that its Suezmax tanker, Stena Sunrise, has been officially registered under the Swedish flag during a ceremony in Singapore. The vessel is the first Suezmax tanker in modern times to operate under the Swedish flag, marking a significant step for Sweden’s maritime presence in the global crude oil trade.
This milestone represents a historic moment for Sweden's shipping industry. While Swedish shipyards built several large crude carriers during the 1970s and 1980s, most were delivered under foreign flags. Over the past few decades, Sweden has had very limited representation in the largest crude tanker segments, with rare exceptions including the ULCC TT Nanny (1978–1984) and VLCC Vanadis (in the early 1990s), which briefly operated under Swedish registry.
Based on available records and internal knowledge, Stena Sunrise becomes the first Suezmax-class vessel to be flagged in Sweden and among only a handful of large crude carriers ever to do so.
The reflagging ceremony was attended by the Swedish Ambassador to Singapore, Anders Sjöberg, and the General Manager and Head of Stena Bulk Singapore, Johan Zander, who participated in the formal handover of the Swedish flag onboard the vessel.
Stena Sunrise is the first of five Suezmax tankers that Stena Bulk plans to transition into the Swedish Register of Shipping. The remaining vessels – Stena Superior, Stena Suede, Stena Surprise, and Stena Sunshine – will be reflagged in the coming months in accordance with commercial and operational schedules.
Erik Hånell, President and CEO of Stena Bulk, said: “We’re proud to see Stena Sunrise officially come under the Swedish flag and to have celebrated this milestone with a ceremony in Singapore. This step has only been made possible by the strong collaboration we have enjoyed with Swedish government authorities and maritime unions. We are excited to continue working together to bring four more of our Suezmax tankers under the Swedish flag in the coming months.”
As Stena Sunrise officially joins the Swedish fleet, the occasion underscores how public–private cooperation can drive meaningful progress in revitalising Sweden’s role in international shipping.
The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.
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