The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has been advised of the seizure of oil tanker Majestic X, by US forces in the Indian Ocean.
The vessel, intercepted for transporting Iranian oil, was previously sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in 2024 under the name PHONIX for smuggling Iranian crude oil in violation of American sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
MARAD said that the ship is not registered in Guyana; thus, the registration is false and fraudulent.
“While the name of the vessel has changed, the IMO number remains recorded in the international database as PHONIX.
There is no record of this vessel or name in Guyana’s registry. Therefore, the ship is FRAUDULENTLY flying the Guyana flag,” the agency said.
MARAD reiterated that Guyana operates a closed registry. Therefore, the registration of vessels under the Guyana flag is limited to ships owned by Guyanese nationals, residents, citizens of Caribbean Community states (CARICOM).
