Maritime agency says vessel has no record in Guyana’s registry; registration deemed false
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has confirmed it was advised of the seizure of oil tanker Majestic X by United States forces in the Indian Ocean, stating categorically that the vessel is not registered in Guyana and is fraudulently flying the Guyanese flag.
The tanker was intercepted for allegedly transporting Iranian oil in violation of American sanctions on the Islamic Republic. According to MARAD, the vessel was previously sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2024 under the name PHONIX for smuggling Iranian crude oil. While the ship’s name has since changed, its IMO number remains recorded in the international database as PHONIX, and there is no record of the vessel or either name in Guyana’s ship registry.
MARAD reiterated that Guyana operates a closed registry, meaning registration under the Guyana flag is restricted to vessels owned by Guyanese nationals, residents, citizens of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states, and corporate bodies established under Guyanese law. The department stated that none of the purported owners of the Majestic X fall into any of these categories, rendering its registration false and fraudulent.
The department noted that incidents of false Guyana registrations have been recognised since 2021, with perpetrators targeting several countries including Guyana, Panama, and other regional states. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) maintains a published list of all ships falsely flying the flags of member states.
MARAD and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said they continue to share information on false registrations with all United Nations maritime states and relevant regional and international maritime associations as such cases come to their attention. The department added that sanctions being applied by the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Western nations are partly a response to the threats posed by these fraudulent flag registrations.
MARAD also took the opportunity to caution against the spread of misinformation, stating that it is aware of the intent of some local news outlets and media agencies who appear determined to share unconfirmed and false allegations regarding the integrity of Guyana’s ship registry.
