MUSE: Maritime UN Sanctions Enforcement

Context

Over the past two decades, international support to UN Member States in combating maritime crime through training, information sharing, and legal simulations has proven vital for global maritime security. However, attention must now also focus on under-addressed areas, such as the role of flag registries. These entities, responsible for registering vessels under a state's flag, are key to a state’s flag jurisdiction, which grants legal authority over crimes on board its vessels regardless of location. 

Despite their importance, many flag registries lack proper oversight and information sharing, making them vulnerable to be abused by criminal networks seeking to evade international law.  

Overall objective

This project aims to to decrease the evasion of UN Security Council sanctions in the maritime sector and associated transnational organised crime.

Specific objectives

• To develop and promote international standards for UN sanctions implementation.
• To reinforce the criminal justice and administrative responses of shipping registries.

Concrete activities

• Facilitating international cooperation and providing technical assistance.
• Supporting the use of the IORIS information exchange system or possibly interconnecting national systems through SHARE.IT.
• Assessing and enhancing the sanction compliance capacity of flag registries.
• Conducting legal and regulatory assessments to support legislative reforms.

Expected results

• Strengthening capacity to DETECT: Enhancing maritime surveillance capability of the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring (GCMSM) in Malta and delivering maritime domain awareness (MDA) training to Shipping Registries to improve fleet monitoring.
• Strengthening capacity to DISRUPT: Conducting compliance assessments of Shipping Registries and supporting pathways for improved compliance enforcement and delivering awareness training on administrative responses and risk indicators to disrupt UN maritime sanctions evasion.
• Strengthening capacity to INTERDICT: Delivering scenario-based exercises relating to lawful vessel interception, boarding and searching at sea.
• Strengthening capacity to PROSECUTE: Delivering training to Prosecutors on jurisprudence relating to UN maritime sanctions violations and develop capacity to achieve a legal finish.
• The flag registry has established a sanction compliance roadmap, while monitoring fleet and taking administrative action.
• Foreign Navies/Coast Guard agencies intercept suspicious vessels with flag state authorisation.
• The existing legal and regulatory frameworks to comply with UN Security Council resolutions relating to maritimesanctions are assessed and reinforced.
• Prosecutors from targeted registries are trained to use flag jurisdiction as an instrument to prosecute crime at sea.

Expected achievements

• Advanced maritime surveillance equipment and MDA technology provided to the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring (GCMSM) in Malta to detect vessel suspected of violating UN maritime sanctions by Q4 2025.
• Ingest AIS data to IORIS for beneficiary states outside the Indo-Pacific region to access MDA data and operate IORIS as the primary communication and awareness platform for information sharing with GCMSM by Q4 2025.   
• Shipping Registries and maritime agencies in 10 beneficiary countries trained and operating IORIS as the primary communication and awareness platform for information sharing with GCMSM by Q2 2026.   
• Convene the Global Forum of Maritime Fusion Centres (GFMFC) to generate awareness on MDA technology and support GCMSM develop engagement with regional maritime surveillance centres across the world.
• At least 5 beneficiary states trained and competent in detecting risk indicators relating to sub-standard vessels engaged in UN maritime sanctions violations.
• Maritime law enforcement or Navy personnel from 10 beneficiary states trained and competent in lawful interdiction and boarding of vessels suspected of violating UN maritime sanctions.   
• Public Prosecutors from 10 beneficiary states trained and competent in jurisprudence and obligations under Chapter VII of the UN Charter relating to UN security Council maritime sanctions.