Operational Guide · Registers & Logbooks

# Fraudulent Certificates and Registrations: the New Paris MOU Guidance

It is no longer just a problem linked to the sanctioned shadow fleet: the Paris MOU is flagging a growing number of ships with fraudulent registrations and certificates, and is preparing, for the first time, a harmonised practical guide for handling them.

fraudulent certificates Paris MOU fraudulent registration detention

## Operational Explanation

The 59th Paris MOU Committee (Glasgow, 18-22 May 2026) addressed the growing issue of fraudulent registrations and certificates: a rising number of ships operating with falsified or non-genuine flags and/or statutory certificates, a phenomenon distinct (though partly overlapping) from the already-known flag-hopping of the sanctioned shadow fleet. The Committee launched development of a practical guide for managing suspected cases, aiming to ensure a harmonised regional response among the regime's different member States.

The Paris MOU detention rate has continued to rise: 4.18% in 2025, up from 4.03% in 2024 and 3.81% in 2023, a trend the Committee also links to the growing spread of deceptive practices. For crews and Companies that are in order, the practical operational point is that a ship with even superficially irregular or inconsistent documentation today risks a higher level of PSC scrutiny, in a context where inspectors are increasingly alert to recognising signs of non-genuine registration or certification.

## Regulatory Reference

Paris MOU, 59th Committee (May 2026): ongoing development of a harmonised practical guide for handling suspected cases of fraudulent registration and certification, distinct from ordinary detention procedures. Additional reference: Paris MOU Annual Report 2025 data (detention rate 4.18%).

## Scope of Application

Every ship inspected in the Paris MOU area; particular relevance for ships with a recent flag change history, documentary inconsistencies, or already-known signs of belonging to high-risk fleets (shadow fleet).

## Procedure / How to Complete It

1. Always maintain full, verifiable consistency between the statutory certificates on board, the flag register and the class documentation.
2. In the event of a recent flag change, verify that all resulting documentation has been correctly reissued and not simply adapted from the previous regime.
3. Train the crew and the DPA office to recognise and promptly report any documentary inconsistency identified internally, before a PSCO does.
4. Monitor the publication of the Paris MOU's practical guide on suspected cases, to understand which specific signals inspectors will be instructed to check.
5. Avoid practices that could even appear ambiguous in documentary management (e.g. interim certificates extended beyond validity, discrepancies between the declared flag and the public register).

## Practical Example

Example: a Company that has recently changed the flag of one of its fleet ships carries out a full internal consistency check between the new flag certificate, the reissued statutory certificates and the class records, before the first port call in a Paris MOU port, anticipating a possibly higher level of scrutiny linked to the recent change.

## Real Cases

The rise in the Paris MOU detention rate for three consecutive years (from 3.81% in 2023 to 4.18% in 2025) and the Committee's growing concern over deceptive practices reflect a context in which the phenomenon of the sanctioned shadow fleet has made PSC inspectors generally more alert to signs of documentary irregularity, even for ships with no connection to that specific phenomenon: documentary consistency is today a more highly perceived risk factor than in the past.

## Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it
--- | --- | ---
Documentation following a flag change treated as an administrative formality, without thorough verification of consistency between the new certificates | Documentary inconsistencies found by the PSCO, with additional scrutiny even in the absence of real irregularity | Treat every flag change as an opportunity for a complete, documented check of consistency across all certificates
Minor documentary inconsistencies found internally but not corrected before the next PSC port call | The same inconsistency, if found by the PSCO, generates a level of suspicion disproportionate to its real severity | Always promptly correct any documentary inconsistency found internally, before it becomes visible at inspection

## PSC Observations

PSCOs, under the guidance being developed, will be instructed to recognise specific signs of non-genuine registration or certification (e.g. inconsistencies between the flag's public register and on-board documentation, repeated or extended interim certificates beyond the usual); confirmation of a suspected case triggers harmonised regional procedures distinct from ordinary deficiency management.

## Operational Tips

- After every flag change, carry out a full internal documentary consistency check before the first subsequent PSC port call.
- Don't treat minor documentary inconsistencies as negligible details: in the current context they can generate scrutiny disproportionate to their real severity.
- Follow the publication of the Paris MOU's practical guide on suspected cases to understand which specific signals will receive greater attention.

## Checklist

- Consistency between statutory certificates, flag register and class documentation systematically verified
- Post-flag-change documentation verified as complete and correctly reissued, not simply adapted
- Minor documentary inconsistencies found internally corrected before the next PSC port call
- Crew and DPA office trained to recognise and report signs of documentary inconsistency
- Publication of the Paris MOU's practical guide monitored for updates

## FAQ

What did the 59th Paris MOU Committee discuss regarding fraudulent registrations?
A growing number of ships with fraudulent registrations and/or certificates, distinct from the already-known phenomenon of the sanctioned shadow fleet; the Committee launched development of a practical guide for a harmonised regional response to suspected cases.
What is the most recent Paris MOU detention rate?
4.18% in 2025, up from 4.03% in 2024 and 3.81% in 2023, according to the data discussed by the 59th Committee.
How does this phenomenon differ from the already-known shadow fleet?
The sanctioned shadow fleet typically concerns the flag-hopping of sanctioned tankers; fraudulent registrations/certificates are a broader phenomenon, which can involve any ship with non-genuine documentation, regardless of any connection to sanctioned fleets.
🎬 Additional photos, videos and interactive diagrams for this topic will be available in a future version of the platform.

## Related Topics

Coordination between Flag State and PSC Detention and Banning

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