The United Arab Emirates has banned the arrival of ships flying the flag of Eswatini, a landlocked African country. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi
reports with reference to Bloomberg.
According to a government circular published on the Fujairah Port website, the flag of Eswatini is now on the list restricting entry to UAE ports and waters. Earlier this year, the flag of Cameroon was added to the list.
According to the newspaper, these measures are the latest sign that the Middle Eastern country is distancing itself from risky vessels that help transport Russian oil,
Ships flying both flags have been transporting Russian oil since Russia created a shadow fleet of ships to keep sanctioned shipments moving. The ban will not apply to vessels assessed by a broader international classification body.
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Flag states play a key role in maintaining safety standards in global shipping. For oil tankers, Liberia and the Marshall Islands are among the largest suppliers, but since the invasion of Ukraine, a number of lesser-known flags have emerged that have raised questions about the reliability of their safety standards.
Flag states are the countries under whose flag a ship is registered and sailing. The flag state is responsible for ensuring that the ship meets international safety, health and environmental standards. It also has jurisdiction over the vessel on the high seas and is obliged to investigate maritime incidents involving its vessels.
Eswatini – formerly Swaziland – is a particularly new player: in 2023, no vessels flew its flag, according to Clarkson Research Services Ltd. This number now stands at 26 ships, although not all of them are tankers.
Of the 18 Eswatini flagged vessels visible in ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, the ownership of 16 is unclear, the newspaper said.