Sanctioned tankers are increasingly exploiting fraudulent ship registries, with Mozambique becoming the latest flag of choice in a wave of illicit flag-hopping practices, according to shipping industry reports.
Rapid uptake of fake Mozambique registry
At least six sanctioned tankers have recently declared a flag switch to Mozambique, with five of them transferring from other fraudulent registries. In addition, three IMO identity numbers belonging to scrapped ships were also flagged under Mozambique within the same timeframe. Although Mozambique operates a limited national registry for government patrol vessels, tugs, and fishing boats, it does not maintain a commercial ship register. Instead, a fraudulent website posing as the Mozambique Maritime Authority — linked to the network — has been exploiting this gap.
at the center of global fraud
The Mozambique scam is tied to , a network of more than 30 fake flag registries and crew certification sites uncovered earlier this year. These fraudulent domains are interlinked, with the Mozambique site connected to a bogus “Maritime Directorate of the Czech Republic,” also hosted on the system. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) database, which relies on member states to input accurate information, had until recently listed the fraudulent Mozambique site as an official contact. While the IMO has since removed it after alerting Mozambican authorities, many other fraudulent details remain in the system.
Expanding fraudulent operations
Mozambique is not alone. Angola — another -linked registry — has also seen a surge in vessels temporarily broadcasting Angolan MMSI numbers. Multiple domain iterations exist for Angola’s ship register, with one site bizarrely redirecting to a Mexican restaurant in Ohio. Some vessels switching between Mozambique and Angola have been found carrying multiple fake registration certificates, pointing to an emerging trend of ships juggling several fraudulent identities at once.
IMO efforts and limitations
The IMO’s database, updated weekly via S&P Global, currently lists 432 fraudulently registered ships. However, industry experts believe this represents only a fraction of the actual number, given how quickly ships switch between false identities. While fraudulent Tanzanian entries were recently removed, new scams — such as one for the Maldives — are still being added. Details for fake registries in Togo, Hungary, and Tunisia also remain active. The speed of flag changes, visible through shifts in the first three digits of Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) numbers, makes it difficult for regulators to track the true scale of the problem.
