Singapore Urges Global Cooperation to Tackle Shadow Fleet Ships

Singapore is urging for international cooperation to curb shadow fleet vessels operating just beyond its territorial waters, as scrutiny intensifies on ships used to evade sanctions.

“Singapore fully implements United Nations Security Council resolutions and does not condone illegal or deceptive activities by shadow fleet vessels,” Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said in a written reply to a parliamentary question dated Wednesday. He added that illicit vessels may be denied entry or detained in Singapore.

The world’s largest bunkering hub already works closely with neighboring countries to combat illicit maritime activity in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, sharing information to support investigations and conducting coordinated patrols, Siow said.

Singapore also monitors vessel movements as one of the Vessel Traffic Service authorities for the mandatory ship-reporting system in the straits, providing navigational information and reporting breaches of International Maritime Organization conventions to vessels’ flag states.

The Straits of Malacca and Singapore have become a focal point in efforts to police the global dark fleet, as aging tankers carrying sanctioned oil increasingly use the region for ship-to-ship transfers that can obscure cargo origins. The waterway’s strategic location — connecting Europe and the Middle East to East Asia — makes it a vital transit route but also a challenging environment for enforcement.

“This is an important and complex issue that the Singapore government pays close attention to,” Siow said. “We will continue working closely with international partners to address these challenges effectively.”

Photograph: Illuminated bulk carriers sit offshore of Singapore as oil tanks on Sebarok Island in the background at dusk in Singapore, on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Photo credit: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg