Several Pacific Island nations have acquired particular reputations for lax oversight of their flag registries.

The oil tanker Min Hang, which left Venezuela amid a U.S. blockade, lost its Cook Islands flag in late 2024, according to the country's maritime registry. The registry stated the vessel is no longer ...

The Cook Islands Maritime Authority says a US sanctioned oil tanker is falsely using Cook Islands identifiers to evade ...

The Cook Islands was one of the 'top countries whose flags are used by shadow tankers transporting Russian crude oil', according to a European Parliament briefing from 2024 — Marty Melville Dozens of ...

Dozens of oil tankers suspected of smuggling contraband crude for Russia and Iran have been using a beachside office in the tropical South Pacific to cover their tracks, an AFP analysis of sanctions ...