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Two VLCCs Flagged Under Fraudulent Benin Registry Benin has become the newest country exploited by Iran’s dark fleet, with two very large crude carriers (VLCCs) falsely claiming its flag. Azelia (IMO 9365776), a 2009-built VLCC, is currently broadcasting Benin’s flag — one designated as false by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Another VLCC, Flora (IMO...
Benin: Newest False Flag Used by Iran’s Shadow Fleet
What’s inside?
Two VLCCs Flagged Under Fraudulent Benin Registry
Benin has become the newest country exploited by Iran’s dark fleet, with two very large crude carriers (VLCCs) falsely claiming its flag. Azelia (IMO 9365776), a 2009-built VLCC, is currently broadcasting Benin’s flag — one designated as false by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Another VLCC, Flora (IMO 9365752), is also falsely flagged under Benin. And another, Fotuo (IMO 9293959), joined the registry on July 1.
Azelia, using fraudulent flag registry of Benin goes dark after leaving Singapore Strait, likely destined for Iran. Source: Windward Maritime AI™ Platform
Sanctioned and De-Flagged
Both tankers were sanctioned in February by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for their involvement in Iran’s illicit oil trade. Following these sanctions, Panama — the previous flag registry for both ships — stripped them of their registration.
A First for Benin in a Growing List of Fraudulent Registries
This marks the first known instance of Benin being used by the dark fleet. Over the past nine months, other registries that have been fraudulently exploited include Aruba, Curacao, Guinea, Guyana, Eswatini, Malawi, and St Maarten.
Deceptive Practices and Identity Manipulation
According to analysis by Windward, both Azelia and Flora engaged in extensive deceptive shipping practices. These included disabling their Automatic Identification System (AIS), manipulating GNSS (global navigation satellite systems), and creating gaps in location transmission. Windward flagged a total of 35 alerts and risk indicators across the two vessels.
Ownership structures further point to concealment: both ships list Seychelles-incorporated Sunny Land Trading Ltd as the registered owner — an apparent special purpose vehicle. Additionally, Flora has undergone at least 18 identity changes, and Azelia 10. On May 16, Azelia changed its name, flag, and Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number.
Rising Use of False Flags Amid Regulatory Pressure
Windward’s findings align with a broader trend. Over 40% of tankers and gas carriers involved in Iran’s oil trade are now sailing under false flags. These designations are given by the IMO when ships either register with fraudulent flag states or claim flags they are not legally entitled to fly.
Operating under a false flag effectively removes these ships from the global regulatory system. Their insurance and classification — if they exist — are voided, leaving them beyond the oversight of maritime governance. There are currently over 300 such vessels transporting oil and gas, with most activity centered on Iran, Venezuela, and Russia.
Record Sanctions Reflect Heightened Scrutiny
The use of fraudulent flags has surged in response to increased enforcement by Western regulators. Over the past nine months, open registries have been actively deregistering vessels linked to sanctioned trades. In May alone, regulators from the EU, UK, and US designated a record 300 ships. As of June, 23 more vessels have already been sanctioned. Azelia, which went dark after transiting the Singapore Strait on May 23, is emblematic of the growing reliance on concealment tactics in defiance of mounting global scrutiny.
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