The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has warned shipowners and port agents against submitting false or unverifiable vessel information when arranging port calls or seeking clearance.
In a port marine circular, the authority said information provided in connection with vessel arrivals and port clearance must be accurate. The requirement covers details including a vessel’s identity, registration, ownership, cargoes and trading history.
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MPA said enforcement action could be taken against parties found to have deliberately used false, misleading or unverifiable information to facilitate, conceal or legitimise illicit activity.
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Operational context
The circular also places responsibility on vessel owners and their appointed port agents to conduct basic checks before submitting documentation to the port master. They have been instructed to verify vessel registrations through the International Maritime Organization’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System, known as GISIS, before filing certificates of registry and statutory trading certificates.
Singapore’s authority separately reminded port users that the country implements United Nations Security Council sanctions. The circular said suspicious transaction reports are required where there are reasonable grounds to believe that a vessel or other property may be linked to criminal conduct.
Failure to submit a suspicious transaction report in such circumstances may constitute a criminal offence, according to the notice.
The warning comes amid growing international concern over fraudulent ship registrations and the use of false flags. The source reports that the IMO had identified 529 vessels flying false flags, including 356 ships that were not classed by any classification society.
The IMO Legal Committee subsequently introduced guidelines intended to improve due diligence in ship registration and increase transparency around vessel ownership.
Singapore’s latest notice reinforces the obligation on owners and agents to confirm the validity of vessel records before approaching the port authority. It also links the accuracy of port-call documentation with wider efforts to prevent illicit activity, enforce sanctions and address deficiencies in ship registration oversight.