The Dark Fleet Casts Shadow Over ICS Flag State Performance Table

The dark fleet casts its shadow over the International Chamber of Shipping’s (ICS) latest annual flag state performance table with four new countries – familiar homes to Russia’s fleet – added to the list.

Cambodia, Eswatini, Gabon, and Guinea-Bissau have been added to the survey, which charts the best and worst performing major flag states, while the British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, and Uruguay have been removed due to their relatively small fleet sizes.

“The new additions, Cambodia, Eswatini, Gabon, and Guinea-Bissau are reportedly used by some shipping companies seeking to bypass US/EU/G7 sanctions, leading to concerns as to whether international maritime standards are being properly enforced on board ships flying the flags of these States,” the ICS stated in a release.

“Eswatini’s emergence as a flag state presents a distinct concern as it is not a member of the UN IMO and is therefore not a signatory of its international maritime conventions. ICS strongly encourages Eswatini and other new flag states to prioritize IMO membership and the ratification and implementation of IMO conventions to demonstrate their commitment to global maritime governance and the responsible operation of those ships registered with their fleets,” commented ICS secretary-general, Guy Platten.

Splash has reported repeatedly about the growth of shipping registers fueled by the shadow fleet and Russia’s determination to keep exports flowing despite sanctions.

San Marino, Guyana, Sierra Leone, Comoro Islands, Guinea Bissau, and most notably Guinea were the flag states that stood out for their extraordinary fleet growth in the latest data compiled in the late January issue of Clarksons Research’s World Fleet Monitor.

It is in Africa where flag states have mushroomed the most in step with the growth of the shadow fleet – Sierra Leone up by 105%, the Comoro Islands by 104%, Guinea Bissau leaping by 340%, and most extraordinary of all, Guinea’s flag state growing by 99,094% over the past 12 months.

“For more than 50 years, shipping has been a global industry operating under global rules, and it is vital that flag states adhere to their obligations to enforce the highest global safety standards. I hope that this year’s table helps shipping companies to carefully consider the performance of flag administrations when making decisions about the flags which they choose for their ships to fly,” said ICS’s Platten.

The number of vessels hit by sanctions surpassed 1,000 late last year with data from S&P Global Market Intelligence showing that more 800 of these ships do not have confirmed insurance. Moreover, the average age of sanctioned ships – 21 years – is some eight years older than the global average, adding to growing concern that the sprawling so-called shadow fleet could lead to multiple costly environmental catastrophes.

Despite slowing, the grey fleet is still growing by around 10 tankers a month, according to brokers BRS.

Nearly two in three vintage tankers carried Iranian, Venezuelan, or Russian cargoes last year, according to estimates from broker Gibson.

Global insurer Allianz’s 2024 shipping report noted of the shadow fleet: “Despite efforts to crack down on these vessels, the number of tankers is actually increasing, and we have seen a number of groundings and collision incidents.”