‘False & fraudulent’ – MARAD says tanker seized by US not registered in Guyana

The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has been advised of the seizure of oil tanker Majestic X, by US forces in the Indian Ocean.

The vessel, intercepted  for  transporting Iranian oil, was previously sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2024 under the name PHONIX for smuggling Iranian crude oil in violation of American sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

This ship is NOT registered in Guyana; thus, the registration is false and fraudulent. While the name of the vessel has changed, the IMO number remains recorded in the international database as PHONIX. There is no record of this vessel or name in Guyana’s registry. Therefore, the ship is FRAUDULENTLY flying the Guyana flag.

MARAD reiterates that Guyana operates a closed registry. Therefore, the registration of vessels under the Guyana flag is limited to ships owned by Guyanese nationals, residents, citizens of Caribbean Community states (CARICOM), and corporate bodies established under the laws of Guyana. None of the purported owners of the vessel in question falls into any of these categories.

The incidences of false Guyana registrations were recognised since 2021. The perpetuators of this fraud have targeted several countries including Guyana, Panama and regional states. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) publishes a list of all ships falsely flying flags of member states.

The Maritime Administration Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continue to share information on these false registrations which come into our possession with all United Nations (UN) maritime states, and relevant regional and international maritime associations.

The sanctions being applied by the United States of America, the United Kingdom and other Western States are in part a response to the threats posed by these false registrations.

MARAD is wary of the intent of some local news outlets and media agencies who appear determined to share unconfirmed and false allegations as to the integrity of Guyana’s ship registry. (MARAD press release)