Cameroon’s Maritime Flag Under Fire for Shadow Fleet Abuse
Reforms are welcome, but technological and capacity gaps still leave Cameroon vulnerable to high-risk parallel maritime networks.
Published on 26 June 2026 in ISS Today By Raoul Sumo Tayo
Senior Researcher, Central Africa Observatory, ISS Senior Researcher, Central Africa Observatory, ISS
Cameroon has decided to deregister and sanction several ships linked to the shadow fleet that enables Russia to circumvent international sanctions, particularly in the oil and grain trade. The decision is part of maritime governance reforms launched in response to European Union (EU) pressure.
However, ship registration reforms alone won’t end the use of the Cameroonian registry by networks operating outside the norms of international maritime governance.
Shadow Fleet’s Impact on Cameroon’s Maritime Flag
Cameroon has long been considered a flag of convenience, attracting high-risk operators like those involved in smuggling Iranian and Venezuelan oil. Since December 2025, 100 vessels have been linked to the Russian shadow fleet, placing Cameroon among the top three countries associated with the fleet, alongside Russia and Sierra Leone.
In addition to bypassing international sanctions against Russia, Iran and Venezuela, several Cameroonian-flagged vessels are involved in trafficking and other illegal activities. A recent case was the seizure in January by Spanish special forces of a merchant ship off the Canary Islands with a cargo of nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine.
Weak Governance Structure Contributes to Cameroon’s Flag Risk
An Associated Press investigation shows how Cameroonian-flagged vessels have been involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and crimes such as money laundering and transhipment operations at sea. These incidents damage the credibility of Cameroon’s shipping register – considered by some analysts, including Lloyd’s List editor-in-chief Richard Meade, as ‘one of the highest risk registers [worldwide].’
Cameroon has long been considered a flag of convenience, attracting high-risk operators linked to oil smuggling
Capacity and Technological Gaps Complicate Maritime Governance
A combination of factors has led to Cameroon’s flag becoming a refuge for opaque maritime networks that conceal vessel ownership and activities. Foremost are structural failures in flag state governance, including an obsolete legislative and regulatory framework dating back to the 1960s.
The country’s maritime registry also suffers from weak administrative, technical and social controls. It cannot verify vessel ownership, especially since ships applying for registration are often linked to complex business structures. Some media describe a system where registration is ‘poorly controlled, even monetized without rigorous verification.’
Cameroon’s Maritime Administration Lacks Capacity
Cameroon’s maritime administration lacks the capacity to verify potential links with a sanctioned entity, access platforms to review a ship’s flag history, and subscribe to basic compliance review tools. Also, the country is not technologically capable of monitoring its registered ships daily.
In some cases, Cameroonian-flagged vessels are correctly registered by opaque maritime networks. In others, these networks fraudulently use the country’s flag after gaining access to Cameroon’s official digital signature. This likely occurs with assistance from within the maritime administration, an anonymous expert told ISS Today.
Officials told ISS Today that pirate digital platforms used by intermediaries in Türkiye, Montenegro and Georgia forged the signatures of Cameroon’s four maritime district heads. This allowed them to issue fake registration certificates, bills of payment and other ship documents.
Cameroon is among the top three countries associated with the shadow fleet, alongside Russia and Sierra Leone
Original Article: Can Cameroon reclaim its maritime flag after shadow fleet abuse? — Issafrica