PM to send letter to The Hague over fraudulent ship registrations

GREAT BAY--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina has announced that a formal letter is being sent to the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding the recurring use of St. Maarten’s name and flag in fraudulent maritime documents and vessel registrations. The Prime Minister stressed that these actions are not only unauthorized but pose a serious threat to the reputation of St. Maarten and the Kingdom of the Netherlands as a whole.

The Prime Minister’s response follows recent media statements by Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten, who publicly condemned the unauthorized registration of vessels under the so-called “St. Maarten flag.” Dr. Mercelina commended the Minister’s firm stance, emphasizing that St. Maarten has no official ship registry and any such claim is entirely fraudulent.

The Prime Minister reiterated that the Government of St. Maarten does not issue, maintain, or authorize any form of ship registration. “Let me be absolutely clear: St. Maarten does not have a ship registry. Any claim otherwise is false and dangerous.”

Given the international scope of the matter, and the Kingdom’s responsibility for foreign affairs, Dr. Mercelina is formally bringing the issue to the attention of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs. The letter urges the Kingdom Government to take immediate steps to counteract these fraudulent activities and protect the Kingdom’s integrity in global maritime affairs.

“This is not only about St. Maarten’s name being misused, but about protecting the credibility and international standing of the entire Kingdom. We cannot and will not tolerate international fraud that jeopardizes our collective reputation,” Mercelina stated.

The Prime Minister confirmed that his letter would be dispatched no later than July 31 and will be followed up with additional communications if necessary. The government will also continue its coordination with regional and international maritime authorities to monitor and respond to any developments in the ongoing fraudulent activity.

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