Exclusive – Gambia’s Dark Fleet of Oil Tankers Hit with Detentions Over Safety and Environmental Violations

BANJUL, The Gambia – Multiple vessels sailing under the Gambian flag have been detained at Chinese ports due to serious safety and environmental violations, raising concerns about the country’s maritime oversight.

Growing Fleet, Growing Problems

In a dramatic expansion, The Gambia went from having no tankers under its flag in 2023 to 35 oil and gas tankers by mid-March 2025. This rapid growth has been fueled by tankers involved in sanctioned commodity trades, with international experts estimating that nearly 99% of these vessels by deadweight tonnage (dwt) are under US, UK, or EU sanctions.

Systemic Safety Failures

The Gambia Maritime Administration, responsible for ensuring compliance with international safety standards, appears either ineffective or deliberately lax in its oversight. Recent detentions highlight:

• Critical deficiencies in life-saving equipment
• Pollution prevention system failures
• Structural fire safety violations
• Compromised watertight integrity

Notable Detention Cases

Gas Leader (IMO 9114581) – Detained in Humen

The 1994-built gas carrier was held on February 13, 2025 for:

• Malfunctioning lifeboats
• Ballast water management system failures
• Inadequate fire protection for dangerous goods

Released after one day following corrective actions.

Anita (IMO 9203253) – Held in Rizhao

The 157,831-ton oil tanker faced detention from February 20-24, 2025 for:

• Watertight integrity issues
• Faulty pilot transfer arrangements
• Fire safety violations

Despite claims of provisional registration and promised due diligence, the vessel continues to sail under Gambian flag after detention.

Other Notable Detentions

• Katsuya (IMO 9178068): Held in Dongjiakou for certificate violations and MARPOL non-compliance
• Salakh 22 (IMO 1108122): Special activities vessel detained for nearly two weeks with severe navigation safety violations

International Scrutiny Intensifies

The Gambia’s fleet has ballooned to nearly 3.6 million dwt as of March 2025 from just 26,665 dwt at the end of 2023. However, more than half this capacity is currently under international sanctions.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence statistics show the registry absorbed tonnage from underperforming registers like Cameroon and Palau, both on the lowest-tier blacklist of regional port state regulators.

Systemic Regulatory Challenges

The pattern of detentions for identical violations suggests deep-seated oversight issues within Gambia’s flag administration. While classification societies are often cleared of responsibility, the recurring maintenance and safety failures point to:

• Inadequate vessel maintenance standards
• Weak safety protocol enforcement
• Insufficient pollution prevention measures

This follows previous incidents like the 2021 detention of Gambia-flagged M/V “NS THUNDER” in Greece, which faced a six-month ban from Paris MoU ports.

Looking Ahead

As scrutiny intensifies, Gambia-flagged vessels face:

• Increased port state control inspections
• Growing reputational damage
• Potential economic consequences

The situation demands urgent action from Gambian maritime authorities to implement proper oversight and uphold international safety standards.

This report is based on original investigative journalism. For complete details and source materials, visit the original article.