ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has told delegates attending the Second Annual Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium that their shared goal is to ensure “a fair, secure, and competitive industry by identifying and preventing the registration of vessels suspected of illicit activity”.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne addressing the symposiumAddressing the opening of the three day event, Browne said that Antigua and Barbuda remains deeply committed to safeguarding global safety and security through these vital multilateral partnerships.
“A testament to this dedication is our proud involvement in the founding of the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring (GCMSM) alongside the Republic of Malta,” Bowne said, adding that he is especially pleased to welcome Director General Neville Aquilina of Malta, the Centre’s Director, Martin Cauchi-Inglott, as well as leadership from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, “whose presence underscores the global weight of our mission”.
The symposium is being 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 participants from around the world are attending the event, including representatives of 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 international maritime organizations and enforcement agencies.
The symposium will feature technical presentations and collaborative workshops focusing on emerging maritime security threats, including Automatic Identification System (AIS) spoofing, enhanced due diligence procedures for vessel registration, sanctions compliance, intelligence sharing and best practices for strengthening flag State oversight.
In his address, Prime Minister Browne said that effective flag State compliance, robust due diligence and transparent regulatory systems are essential to protecting international commerce from sanctions evasion, fraudulent vessel registrations and other illicit maritime activities.
He said international cooperation relies on transparency and that is why Antigua and Barbuda championed the RISC.
“Sharing data is our strongest defence against illicit operators, evaders, and I am thrilled to welcome RISC members to Antigua and to celebrate our newest member, Malta, in joining this critical network.
Director General of Merchant Shipping, Ambassador Dwight Gardiner said that the conference is a coming together of ship registries, maritime industry leaders, and government officials from around the world to advance and share industry efforts to increase maritime security, enhance sanctions compliance, and ensure a fair and competitive industry by preventing registration of vessels engaged in illicit activity and fraudulent registration.
He said that a key area of focus is best practices to improve US sanctions enforcement globally and prevent illicit maritime activity that threatens
