St. Maarten name again misused in false-flag shipping schemes, new reporting indicates

GREAT BAY--New investigative reporting by Bellingcat is again drawing international attention to the misuse of St. Maarten’s name in fraudulent maritime documentation and so called “false flag” activity, reinforcing earlier warnings issued to the global shipping community about fake registries and forged certificates circulating under St. Maarten’s identity.

In its February 19, 2026 report, Bellingcat traces a network of entities and websites associated with recurring claims of unauthorized flag registration and maritime paperwork, including references to the “MSTA Registry” and other services promoted online. The report notes that St. Maarten has previously stated it does not operate an international flag registry and does not issue the competency certificates being advertised under its name, while other jurisdictions contacted by the investigators also disputed any authorization or relationship with the operators involved.

The renewed focus follows a formal notification circulated through the International Maritime Organization in May 2025, issued on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, warning Member States about fraudulent certificates and applications for seafarers’ documents being issued “on behalf of” St. Maarten.

That IMO-circulated communication states that St. Maarten “has no international flag registry” and that the government does not issue certificates of competency, seaman’s books, or ship certificates for certain categories of vessels, while also identifying websites that authorities said were impersonating St. Maarten and issuing fraudulent documents.

According to Bellingcat, a website advertising seafarer training and competency services listed St. Maarten among jurisdictions it claimed to support, despite investigators noting St. Maarten’s stated position that it does not issue such international competency documentation.

The report further points to online promotion connecting “MSTA Registry” to a broader set of entities and activity, and it notes that “MSTA Registry” had already been cited in a May 2025 warning issued by St. Maarten and the International Maritime Organization regarding false flags issued under the guise of St. Maarten.

Fraudulent use of St. Maarten’s identity in maritime paperwork has been flagged before in regional reporting, including coverage that emphasized that any claim to register sea-going vessels under a “St. Maarten flag” is invalid under Kingdom arrangements, and that misuse creates reputational risk for the country and the wider Kingdom.

International maritime reporting has also described the issue as part of a broader rise in false flag activity, with St. Maarten continuing to urge verification through official channels when documentation is presented as originating from St. Maarten’s authority.

Given the persistence of false registry claims tied to St. Maarten’s name, maritime stakeholders are again urged to exercise heightened due diligence when confronted with documents, certificates, or online registry services claiming to be authorized by St. Maarten. The International Maritime Organization has repeatedly described fraudulent registration as a safety, environmental, and governance risk, because it undermines lawful oversight and can leave accountability unclear when incidents occur.

For further reading and documentation referenced publicly, the May 2025 IMO-circulated notification from the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the February 19, 2026 Bellingcat investigation provide the most direct framing of how St. Maarten’s name has been exploited, and why international partners continue to treat it as an active risk area.

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