Fake Flag Alarm in Maritime: Risky Ship Numbers Double
The use of fake flags to conceal the identities of ships and evade international sanctions has become increasingly widespread, according to data from Kpler Risk and Compliance. As of October 2026, a total of 354 ships were found to be at risk of using fake flags, a significant increase from the 157 reported in November 2025.
A study by maritime intelligence company Windward also highlighted the extent of fake flag usage among Iranian-linked vessels. During the period of August 6 to November 5, 2026, Windward detected 278 Iranian-linked ships using fake ship identities, with 68% of these being tankers. The majority of these tankers were found to be on the sanctions list.
The top five countries whose flags were most commonly used as fake identities were Nicaragua (53 vessels), Anguilla (39 vessels), and others. The average age of these ships was 26 years old, indicating a significant proportion of older vessels in use.
US Takes Action Against Fake Flag Network
One notable step taken to address the issue of fake flags is from the US Treasury Department. On November 4, the department added Suniel Kumar Sharma and his wife Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, along with two individuals and nine entities, to its sanctions list.
The department revealed that this network had been operating since 2014, mimicking the registration and certification services of various countries’ maritime authorities. The network had taken on the identities of Aruba, Guyana, Mali, Mozambique, Malawi, Sint Maarten, and East Timor, among others. Sharma’s companies also provided fake registration services for Nicaragua and Eswatini.
The US Treasury Department stated that this network had helped Iranian oil tankers evade sanctions by providing them with fake flags and certificates, allowing them to continue operating despite being subject to international sanctions.
Risky Ships: 46% Use Fake Flags of Countries Whose Flags Were Cloned
Kpler’s data up to November 10 showed that 348 ships were at risk of using fake flags, with 160 (or 46%) of these vessels using the fake flags of countries whose flags had been cloned. The top two countries whose flags were most commonly used as fake identities were Comoros (44 vessels) and Curaçao (13 vessels).
The analysis also found that approximately 90% of the ships at risk of using fake flags were petroleum, chemical, or LPG tankers, with 299 of these vessels being on the sanctions list. In contrast, only 13 of the 34 dry bulk cargo ships found to be at risk used fake flags.
AIS Disruptions and Ship-to-Ship Transfers
The use of fake flags is often linked to activities aimed at concealing a ship’s location and cargo. Kpler’s analysis of satellite imagery, flag records, and Automatic Identification System (AIS) data revealed that some ships had stopped transmitting AIS signals or provided misleading location information.
One example is the tanker LATTAFA (IMO 9245794), which changed its flag from Panama to Aruba in March 2026. Kpler analyzed that Aruba flag was fake. The ship, built in 2003, transported crude oil from Iran’s Bandar-e-Jask port to China, stopping AIS transmission for 23 days during the journey. In August, it stopped transmitting again for approximately 47 days while traveling from Singapore to South China Sea.
Kpler’s analysis also found that LATTAFA engaged in ship-to-ship (STS) transfers with another vessel, NICHOLA (IMO 9224271), on August 17 at the Singapore anchorage. During this transfer, NICHOLA provided misleading location information, according to Kpler records. The transferred cargo was reportedly crude oil from Kharg Island, which was then sent to China.
Vessels Mentioned
- LATTAFA (IMO: 9245794)
- NICHOLA (IMO: 9224271)
Original Article: Denizcilikte sahte bayrak alarmı: Riskli gemi sayısı ikiye katlandı — 7Deniz (Turkish) | View English Translation