Cameroon Suspends New Ship Registrations

Cameroon suspended new registrations of vessels operating outside its territorial waters after reports linked its flag to the Russian shadow fleet and other high-risk maritime networks. The country also began an audit of its shipping register under the Prime Minister's Office and carried out targeted delisting operations.

Officials cited pressure from the European Union and risks to legitimate shipping and foreign investment.

Since December 2025, 100 vessels have been associated with the Russian shadow fleet, placing Cameroon among the top three countries linked to the fleet alongside Russia and Sierra Leone. Several Cameroonian-flagged ships have been tied to sanctions evasion involving Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, as well as trafficking and illegal fishing.

An Associated Press investigation documented Cameroonian-flagged vessels engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, money laundering, and ship-to-ship transfers. One vessel was seized off the Canary Islands carrying nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine.

The maritime registry operates under an obsolete legal framework from the 1960s and lacks interconnected digital systems across its four maritime districts. Officials reported that pirate platforms in Türkiye, Montenegro, and Georgia forged digital signatures to issue fake registration documents.

Registration fees remain low, with the Cameroonisation process costing XAF100,000 (US$174) and standard registration XAF150,000 (US$261) for ships between 100 and 10,000 gross tonnage. The administration has limited capacity to verify ownership or monitor vessels daily.

A draft decree sent on 2 June by the Prime Minister's Office to the Presidency proposes stricter application reviews, verification of beneficial owners by an inter-ministerial committee, and expanded judicial and financial penalties.