Three ships used as floating armouries in the Indian Ocean have lost their flag over a suspected Russia-related sanctions breach.
St Kitts & Nevis said the three vessels were removed from its registry on 31 July after the UK government withdrew their licences to operate owing to the suspected breach.
The British government acted after a security company that stored weaponry with armoury operator MNG Maritime provided security services to a ship linked to Dubai-based Sun Ship Management.
The ship manager, which technically manages the Sovcomflot tanker fleet, is subject to European Union and UK sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The permission issued by the St Kitts & Nevis government for the vessels to operate as vessel-based armouries has been withdrawn with effect from 31 July following the withdrawal of the licence issued by the UK,” registry CEO Liam Ryan said in a statement.
“I have been advised by the owners of the vessels that they are in the process of reflagging the vessels in question.”
The loss of flagging services relates to the 2,180-gt converted cruise ship Antarctic Dream (built 1959) and two former offshore support vessels — the 3,135-gt Siam (built 1991) and 648-gt Genesis (built 1972).
MNG Maritime chartered ships from Dubai-based Sinbad Navigation, which said it has a fleet of 11 owned or managed vessels refitted for use by private security companies. Sinbad has been approached for comment.
Floating armouries proliferated with the rise of Somalian piracy but the reduction in the threat has led to an oversupply of weaponry in the area.
The British government said the estimated 3,000 weapons on the three vessels had to be removed by 31 July but extended the deadline as private security companies struggled to find alternative providers.
