U.S. issues guidance on illicit shipping and sanctions evasion practices
Written by Nick Blenkey
BP Shipping calls recent U.S. advisories “a game changer”
AIS spoofing, painting over ships’ IMO numbers and names, and “flag hopping” are just a few of the tricks of the sanctions-busting trade. Yesterday, the U.S. Departments of State and Treasury, and the U.S. Coast Guard issued a global advisory to alert the maritime industry, and those active in the energy and metals sectors, to those and other deceptive shipping practices used to evade sanctions, with a focus on Iran, North Korea, and Syria.
The advisory includes a detailed set of best practices for private industry to consider adopting to mitigate exposure to sanctions risk.
The advisory updates and expands upon previous advisories issued by the U.S. government. It is intended to provide actors that utilize the maritime industry for trade with information on and tools to counter current and emerging trends in sanctions evasion related to shipping and associated services. The advisory highlights common deceptive shipping practices used with respect to countries like Iran, North Korea, and Syria.
Download the advisory HERE
