UAE Bans Eswatini-Flagged Ships Following Cameroon Ban

The United Arab Emirates has recently prohibited ships flying the Eswatini flag from entering its ports, following a similar ban imposed earlier this year on vessels registered in Cameroon.

The Eswatini flag has become associated with the so-called shadow or dark fleets, which have been increasingly used to transport sanctioned oil.

Eswatini, a landlocked country in southern Africa formerly known as Swaziland, gained attention last year when the Eswatini Maritime Affairs and International Ship Registry was established as a private company in Singapore. 

Since then, the International Maritime Organization has identified several vessels that registered under the Eswatini flag as ‘False Eswatini.’

In May, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) added Eswatini to its list of flags of convenience, which are often linked to less stringent regulations and oversight.