Guyana calls for regional crackdown on ships falsely flying its flag

Guyana is urging Caribbean maritime authorities to intensify efforts to identify and take action against vessels falsely flying its national flag, warning that the practice poses serious risks to maritime security and regional compliance standards.

“As is well known in the region, Guyana has been plagued with ships falsely flying its flags.

Therefore, notwithstanding the fact that this meeting is about port state control, we wish to see committed efforts to detect and take action to eliminate this scourge,” Director General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) Captain Stephen Thomas said on Tuesday.

He made the call during the opening of the 31st Caribbean Port State Control Conference on Tuesday.

According to Thomas, stronger ship security inspection measures under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code are also critical to preventing criminal elements from exploiting legitimate shipping operations.

“This, coupled with ship security inspection methods under the ISPS Code are particularly important to Guyana and the region at this time to prevent exploitation of innocent shipping being used for illicit activities,” he said.

The conference, Thomas said, reflects the Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding’s commitment to ensuring a unified approach to maritime regulation and enforcement throughout the region.

“These efforts reflect the CMU foundation commitment to a unified regime across the Caribbean, ensuring that all ships, regardless of flag, require international standards to operate in our region, as the region will not provide sanctuary to substandard ships,” he said.

He also noted that Guyana’s maritime sector has expanded significantly over the last five years, driven by increased trade and the continued development of the country’s offshore oil and gas industry.

“This growth compels us to provide strong regulatory oversight and greater operational readiness to ensure compliance with international maritime obligations,” he added.

The three-day conference brings together delegates from 20 jurisdictions to discuss challenges facing the shipping industry and strengthen cooperation on maritime oversight across the Caribbean region.