Guyana said on Thursday that an oil tanker seized by U.S. forces while carrying Iranian oil was fraudulently flying its flag.
The seizure comes amid increased tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran, with ongoing conflict and sanctions enforcement disrupting oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) said the tanker, identified as Majestic X, was intercepted in the Indian Ocean and had been previously sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2024 under the name PHONIX for smuggling Iranian crude in violation of sanctions.
MARAD said the vessel is not registered in Guyana and that the use of its flag is “false and fraudulent.” While the ship has changed names, its International Maritime Organization (IMO) number remains tied to the sanctioned vessel PHONIX in global shipping databases, the agency said.
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“Therefore, the ship is fraudulently flying the Guyana flag,” MARAD said in a statement.
The U.S., in December, also seized a vessel that falsely flew Guyana’s flag.
Guyana operates a closed ship registry, meaning only vessels owned by Guyanese nationals, residents, citizens of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states, or companies established under Guyanese law are eligible for registration. MARAD said none of the purported owners of the seized tanker meets those criteria.
The agency said cases of vessels falsely claiming Guyanese registration have been identified since 2021, with perpetrators targeting multiple jurisdictions including Panama and other regional states. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) maintains a list of ships falsely flying member state flags.
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Guyana said it continues to share information on fraudulent registrations with United Nations maritime states and international bodies through its foreign affairs ministry and maritime authorities.
The statement added that sanctions imposed by the United States, United Kingdom and other Western countries are partly aimed at addressing risks linked to such fraudulent vessel registrations.
MARAD also cautioned against what it described as unverified reporting that could undermine confidence in Guyana’s ship registry.
