UAE prohibits Cameroon-flagged tankers for security concerns

The United Arab Emirates has banned ships flying the Cameroon flag from entering its waters, a move aimed at avoiding vessels involved in transporting sanctioned oil. The ban, posted on the Fujairah Port website, restricts shipping companies and agents from providing services to ships registered in Cameroon, unless they are rated by a major international classification body. This decision comes as Russia has utilized little-known flags like Cameroon’s for a shadow fleet of tankers to bypass U.S. sanctions and continue its oil operations. Despite the small size of the fleet of oil tankers registered in Cameroon, most of them were in Russia last year, with 11 out of 14 vessels picking up oil from Russian ports in the past 12 months.

The practice of merchant ships flying flags far removed from their location or operations is common, with popular options such as Panama and the Marshall Islands being critical for maintaining safety standards in the shipping industry. However, the shift to little-known flags like Cameroon’s has raised concerns due to the high risk of safety inspections failure when calling at ports in Cameroon. The 14 Cameroon-flagged oil carriers, though small in number, have been heavily involved in Russia’s oil shipments, accounting for less than 1% of the country’s total oil shipments.

The move by the UAE to ban Cameroon-flagged ships reflects a trend in the shipping industry to distance from vessels involved in transporting sanctioned oil, particularly those registered under little-known flags. The decision is aimed at avoiding the potential safety and regulatory risks associated with such vessels, as highlighted by the industry data compiled by Bloomberg.

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