Govt clears air on seized ship flag

Minister of Public Works and Transport, Chief Ndlaluhlaza Ndwandwe has clarified that Eswatini has no ship registered under its flag.

This followed reports from Iranian media that an Eswatini-flagged vessel was confiscated with smuggled fuel over the weekend.

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said it had seized an Eswatini-flagged vessel in the Persian Gulf carrying about 350 000 litres of smuggled gasoil, according to State-linked media.

Minister Ndwandwe said this was not the first time a ship allegedly belonging to the Eswatini government was seized. He mentioned that when the matter was first reported, government engaged the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to clarify the matter.

“Eswatini does own a ship, we have written to the IMO and explained that we are not practicing maritime,” he said. He further mentioned that government was still in engagement with IMO to facilitate how Eswatini could procure a cargo ship.

In a statement issued yesterday, Ministry of Public Works and Transport Principal Secretary Thulani Mkhaliphi stated categorically that Eswatini does not have any ship registered under its flag at this moment.

He mentioned that the kingdom had no operational ship registry, nor has government appointed, mandated, or authorised any individual, company, or foreign agent to register vessels on their behalf. “Consequently, any person or entity claiming to operate a ship under the Eswatini flag is doing so illegally. Such actors are criminals who must be dealt with by the relevant international authorities, including Interpol or the maritime regulators they attempt to deceive,” said Mkhaliphi.

He added that the establishment of a maritime ship registry was a structured institutional process, undertaken through legislation passed by Parliament.

The PS said no such law had been enacted, and therefore no registry exists.

“Should Eswatini decide to establish a maritime registry in the future, the international community will be duly informed through transparent legal and diplomatic channels. Until then, any vessel claiming to be registered in Eswatini does so fraudulently,” he said.

He further mentioned that given that no registry existed, government could not identify the owners of the vessels associated with the false claims. He said what was clear, however, was that the name of the country was being misused in a deeply irresponsible and criminal manner by unscrupulous entities engaging in illicit activities such as fuel smuggling.

Mkhaliphi also mentioned that Eswatini strongly condemned the conduct. He also started that government was committed to working closely with the IMO and other global enforcement bodies to eradicate the misuse of the kingdom’s name by criminal networks operating across international waters. “Eswatini is not, and will never be, party to such unlawful activities,” said Mkhaliphi.

He reiterated government’s firm position that the Kingdom of Eswatini had no connection whatsoever to the vessel reported to be seized in Iran, and rejected in the strongest terms any attempts to associate the country with maritime criminality.

According to Iranian media, Heydar Honarian-Mojarrad, commander of the IRGC Navy’s Second Naval Zone, said the ship was detained under a judicial order and escorted to the coast of Bushehr for offloading, adding that its 13 crew members were from India and a neighbouring country.

Iran, which keeps domestic fuel prices low through subsidies and has seen its currency weaken, regularly announces interceptions of boats accused of moving contraband fuel by sea to Persian Gulf states and by land to neighbouring countries.

It was also reported that no details were given on the vessel’s ownership, its last port of call, or the timeline of the operation. Authorities did not specify the fate of the crew beyond the seizure.

The announcement follows other recent actions. On Saturday, authorities near the island of Kish said two vessels carrying a combined 80 000 litres of smuggled fuel were stopped under a judicial order, with prosecutors saying the boats had been modified with extra deck tanks to spirit fuel out of the country.

Officials said they would continue operations against trafficking networks that profit from steep price gaps with neighbouring states.

Earlier this month, the IRGC said it had seized a Marshall Islands–flagged tanker off the Makran coast in the Gulf of Oman, after maritime security firms reported a ship being diverted toward Iranian waters by small craft.

Tehran said such operations were conducted under court orders to prevent illegal fuel or cargo transfers. Western officials and shipping sources have accused Iran of at times using maritime enforcement to gain leverage in regional and sanctions-related disputes.

Iran’s coastline and the Strait of Hormuz lie astride one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.

Iranian forces have increased patrols there, describing the moves as efforts to safeguard national interests and curb smuggling.

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