Prime Minister Gaston Browne has issued a stark warning about the growing threat of maritime fraud and sanctions evasion, calling on governments and international bodies to strengthen cooperation in defending the integrity of global shipping.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne delivered his remarks at the 2026 Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium, held at St James's Club. He told delegates that authorities worldwide are confronting an expanding array of illicit practices, including automatic identification system (AIS) spoofing, flag hopping, shell ownership structures, deceptive shipping practices, and fraudulent vessel registries.
"We have witnessed the growing use of automatic identification system manipulation, deceptive shipping practices, flag hopping, shell ownership structures, and fraudulent registries designed to obscure illicit activities," Browne said.
He warned that these activities undermine not only international sanctions regimes but also the broader governance framework that underpins global commerce. "The challenge before us is therefore not merely one of enforcement. It is fundamentally a challenge of governance," he said, emphasising that transparency, accountability, due diligence and international cooperation must remain stronger than those seeking to exploit weaknesses in the system.
Browne highlighted the scale of what is at stake, noting that more than 80 percent of global trade moves by sea, making maritime security essential to energy markets, supply chains, food security and economic stability.
The prime minister outlined steps Antigua and Barbuda has taken domestically, stating that the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) has strengthened its compliance systems and due diligence procedures. He described robust regulatory oversight as critical to maintaining a credible shipping registry.
"Our experience has demonstrated a simple but powerful truth. Strong compliance frameworks are not obstacles to growth. They are prerequisites for sustainable growth," Browne said.
He also called on nations to deepen information sharing through mechanisms such as the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC), arguing that closer inter-jurisdictional cooperation is among the most effective tools for detecting illicit maritime activity and closing regulatory gaps that bad actors seek to exploit.
The symposium was hosted jointly by ADOMS and the United States Department of State, bringing together government officials, maritime regulators and international organisations to address sanctions enforcement and maritime security challenges.
