The pressure reached its peak after a correspondence from the Cameroonian ambassador to Brussels, who alerted to the "major concerns" of European capitals. Faced with the risk of economic sanctions or a ban on Cameroonian ships from EU ports, Yaoundé had to react urgently. The order of the day for the Prime Minister's services is unequivocal: identify and resolve the factors favoring the registration of these "ghost fleet" vessels, some of which have already been sanctioned by the Ukrainian president in December 2025.

To justify this drift, the Minister of Transport, Jean Ernest Massena Ngalle Bibehe, invokes a "cyberfraud". According to the government, fraudulent registrations would have been made via unauthorized applications, thus declining any official responsibility. However, this line of defense is contradicted by internal documents that list more than 200 ships officially registered in the ports of Douala, Kribi, and Limbé. Several of these vessels, involved in illegal fishing, drug trafficking, or the transport of sanctioned crude oil, are indeed on the regular lists of the administration.

To dispel the fears of its partners, Cameroon plans a "rapid deregistration" of suspect ships and an immediate suspension of any new disputed registration. This is not the first time the country has had to take corrective measures: in 2023, an EU "red card" for illegal fishing had already forced Yaoundé to engage in a cleanup.

The stake now goes beyond a simple administrative formality. The Cameroonian flag commits the country's diplomatic credibility and reputational risk on the world stage. Without rigorous digitization and verifiable traceability measures, Cameroon exposes itself to a tightening of European controls, directly threatening the attractiveness of its flag and increasing operating costs for shipowners who respect international standards.

Tags: cameroun lutte contre la flotte fantôme sanctions économiques navires trafic de stupéfiants pêche illicite transport de brut douala kribi limbé