Venezuelan military authorities reportedly detained a “Guyana-flagged” tanker last Sunday that illegally entered Venezuela’s waters. Venezuela media reports detailed that the vessel was held at Port Guamache, Nueva Esparta, Venezuela without the necessary permits to navigate the country’s territorial waters.  The country’s military authorities identified the vessel as “Four Plus” with and IMO registration number, 920393, with a crew of Chinese nationals on board.

An investigation was immediately launched by a mixed commission of joint services officials which include a commander of the Pampatar Main Coast Guard Station, troops assigned to the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim), the Regional Anti-Drug Intelligence Unit 71, Migration of the Bolivarian National Police and the National Institute of Aquatic Spaces (INEA). In a statement last Monday evening, the Maritime Administration Department advised that the chemical tanker, “Four Plus” bearing IMO No. 9203920, which was recently detained by Venezuelan authorities for unauthorised entry into that State’s waters was falsely flying the Guyana flag. “The vessel is not registered in Guyana, so it is not authorised to fly the Guyana flag or claim Guyanese nationality. MARAD wishes to remind stakeholders and the public that it operates a closed Ships’ Registry, and does not offer a flag of convenience.”

MARAD reminded that recent media reports highlighted the sanctioning of five oil tankers linked to a Syrian conglomerate with ties to Iran and Venezuela by the United States Treasury Department. These vessels also bore false registration documents. “The issues of fraudulently registered vessels and the operation of a global shadow fleet remain on the radar of the global maritime community. The IMO at the 112th Session of its Legal Committee, scheduled for March this year, is expected to further develop measures to prevent these unlawful practices,” MARAD said in its statement.  (Kaieteur News)

Photo: The detained vessel. (Kaieteur News)