Prime Minister Gaston Browne will deliver the keynote address at the opening of the Second Annual Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium on Monday, as Antigua and Barbuda plays host to leading international experts gathered to confront emerging threats facing the global shipping industry.
The three-day event is being held at St. James's Club and is jointly hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) and the United States Department of State, with support from Sandia National Laboratories.
Approximately 100 delegates from around the world are attending, including representatives from ship registries, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC), the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring (GCMSM), the Maritime UN Sanctions Enforcement (MUSE) initiative, and other maritime organisations and enforcement agencies.
In his capacity as Minister responsible for Merchant Shipping and Ports, Browne is expected to reaffirm Antigua and Barbuda's commitment to maintaining one of the world's most respected and compliant ship registries, while strengthening international partnerships to combat illicit maritime activities.
The Prime Minister is expected to stress the importance of strong flag State compliance, rigorous due diligence and transparent regulatory systems in preventing sanctions evasion, fraudulent vessel registrations and other illegal practices that threaten global commerce. He is also expected to commend ADOMS for implementing a comprehensive compliance framework that has enhanced the integrity of the country's ship registry and reduced regulatory risk.
Browne is expected to highlight Antigua and Barbuda's growing influence in shaping international maritime policy despite its status as a small island developing state. Central to that influence are strategic partnerships — particularly with the United States — and active participation in initiatives aimed at strengthening sanctions enforcement and improving maritime oversight.
The Prime Minister is also expected to welcome the IMO's recently adopted guidelines on combating fraudulent ship registrations, describing them as an important step toward strengthening global regulatory standards and closing loopholes exploited by bad actors.
Browne is expected to warn that the maritime sector faces increasingly complex challenges, including sanctions evasion, deceptive shipping practices, fraudulent registrations and the rise of so-called "shadow fleets" operating outside established regulatory frameworks. He will encourage delegates to use the symposium to exchange intelligence, strengthen international cooperation and develop practical strategies to improve transparency, accountability and enforcement across the global shipping industry.
The Prime Minister is further expected to reaffirm Antigua and Barbuda's role as a founding member of the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring and its continued support for the Registry Information Sharing Compact, both of which facilitate international information sharing to identify and prevent illicit maritime activity.
The symposium will feature technical presentations and collaborative workshops covering topics such as Automatic Identification System (AIS) spoofing, enhanced vessel registration due diligence, sanctions compliance, intelligence sharing and best practices for strengthening flag State oversight.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda says the conference reflects the country's continued commitment to working alongside international partners to promote maritime safety, strengthen sanctions enforcement and uphold the highest standards of compliance within the global shipping industry.
