Ukrainian authorities announced the seizure of the Cameroonian-flagged cargo ship, Usko MFU, on July 11, 2024. They accuse the vessel of transporting grain from Russian-occupied Crimea, according to Belgian public broadcaster RTBF. The ship’s Azerbaijani captain is charged with violating Ukrainian law by entering or leaving Russian-occupied territories, including Crimea.

Ukraine’s security services noted that twelve non-Ukrainian crew members were aboard. The vessel was intercepted in Romanian waters of the Danube en route to the Black Sea. It is currently carrying barley destined for Souda, Greece. Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s office stated, “The Usko MFU has entered the port of Sevastopol, Crimea’s main port, at least twice after disabling its AIS tracking system.”

The first instance occurred in November 2023, when the ship departed with 3,000 tons of agricultural products for a Turkish company. In late May 2024, it entered Sevastopol again, unloading goods from Turkey. “The ship then left the port, indicating Istanbul as its destination. However, after reactivating its AIS on July 2, it entered a port in Moldova.”

This incident highlights the maritime stakes in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. It comes three months after Cameroonian authorities announced a renewable six-month suspension of foreign fleet registrations. In a statement on April 22, Transport Minister Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe noted that a physical inventory of vessels operating under the Cameroonian flag would be conducted during this period to digitize the registration records.

The ministerial decision followed a March 14 meeting with UK High Commissioner to Cameroon, Barry Lowen, who conveyed the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) concerns about “phantom ships” under the Cameroonian flag. These vessels often violate international regulations and best practices, lack insurance, and avoid inspections. The IMO suspects these ships are part of Russia’s fleet used to export oil above $60 per barrel, circumventing sanctions imposed by the G7, the European Union, and Australia.

Source: Business in Cameroon