Malawi’s national flag has been caught up in an international sanctions-evasion scheme involving Russian-linked oil tankers operating in defiance of restrictions imposed after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to a comprehensive investigation by Jack McBrams of Platform for Investigative Journalism Malawi (PIJ Malawi), a fraudulent registry operated under the name “Malawi Maritime Administration” issued illegitimate registration documents to dozens of ocean-going vessels.
The company ran a website — malawi.marinegov.net — whose registrant on Who.Is is listed as spaceship.com, reportedly registered in Reykjavik, Iceland, and linked to the phone number +3544212434, which has been flagged in scam alerts.
Malawi24 established that the website and the vessels were allegedly operated by the same individuals, targeting countries with no active oceanic or deep-sea maritime registries. The fraudulent entity also exploited Malawi government emblems to lend credibility to its operations.
The website and vessels are reportedly linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. The report states: “Several of the ships listed under the fake Malawi registry have been associated with sanctioned Russian oil exports following the invasion of Ukraine.”
It adds: “At least 24 sanctioned tankers have been confirmed to be plying the high seas under the stolen colours of the ‘Warm Heart of Africa.’”
Four sanctioned oil tankers were recently found flying the Malawian flag under registrations issued by the fraudulent body. Their inclusion pushed the global tally of ships known to be sailing under false flags to 297 vessels — a 170% increase over 24 months.
The investigation further explains: “By assuming Malawi’s flag, these vessels were able to obscure their ownership structures and continue operating in markets where sanctions would otherwise restrict them.”
In the third quarter of 2025 alone, Malawi’s flag was reportedly used to transport 1.5 million tonnes of Russian crude oil and petroleum products, with more than two-thirds — valued at €403 million — transiting through the Danish Straits.
Authorities in Malawi have distanced themselves from the scheme, stressing that the landlocked country does not operate an international maritime registry and only regulates inland water transport. Officials say they are engaging international partners to halt the misuse of the flag and safeguard the country’s reputation.
“As soon as the Malawi fraud was exposed, many of the ships reportedly began ‘flag-hopping’ again. Vessels that previously claimed Malawian registry began broadcasting identities linked to the Maldives, Angola or Cameroon”, with the marinegov.net network allegedly activating new dormant domains and issuing fresh registration documents.
For Malawi, the reputational consequences are severe., notes PIJ Malawi.
The €4.7 billion worth of oil transported under its name — described in the report as “blood oil” — represents nearly half of the nation’s annual GDP. Yet, investigators note, not a single kwacha of that revenue reached Malawian soil, even as the country’s name became linked to sanctions evasion and potential global environmental risk.
Meanwhile, efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022, have recently intensified as diplomatic pressure mounts nearly four years into the conflict. Donald Trump has taken a leading role in renewed peace negotiations, spearheading talks aimed at securing a ceasefire and charting a path toward a broader political settlement between the two nations.
