Splash24/7, a website of Asia Shipping Media based in Singapore, is reporting that the United Arab Emirates, through its transit authority, has issued a ban on all ships flying flags from the Federated States of Micronesia.
The UAE Federal Transit Authority says the FSM does not have international ship registry and "therefore all ships/seafarer certificates issued [under] the FSM are [a] fraud, and FTA will not recognize or endorse such certificates."
Allegations of alleged false Micronesian flags on ships were a big point of discussion at the September meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum in Apia, Samoa, though the focus at the time was on North Korean vessels flying such flags.
The Spash24/7 piece says that about 300 ships have fallen for "scam" FSM flags.
As Pacific Island Times reported in September, "The [Pacific Islands Forum] communique also indicated the leader's commitment to deregister any North Korean trade or fishing vessels currently flagged on Pacific nations’ shippng registries.
New Zealand and Australia, which are also members of the forum will assist other member states with intelligence gathering to identify illegally flagged North Korea vessels and offered to off-set the financial burden incurred."