Norway Unveils Charges Against Four in Maritime Insurance Fraud Tied to Russia’s Covert Fleet

Norway Uncovers Fraudulent Maritime Insurance Scheme Tied to Russia’s Shadow Fleet

Norwegian officials have recently unveiled a deceptive maritime insurance operation associated with Russia’s shadow fleet, leading to charges against four individuals for forgery and running an illegal insurance business.

The scheme,orchestrated by a company named Ro Marine AS,has raised alarms about the dangers of unverified shipping insurance in international trade. This investigation was spearheaded by Norwegian state broadcaster NRK alongside watchdog Danwatch.

Ro marine was found to be issuing counterfeit insurance documents for vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet. The company falsely presented itself as a legitimate maritime insurer, claiming coverage for over 250 ships. Though, it turned out that Ro Marine was merely a façade—lacking any real operations or employees aside from its Russian owner Andrey Mochalin and a Bulgarian board member.

The scam first came to light in September 2024 when an insurer from Ghana reached out to Norway’s Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) regarding dubious insurance paperwork. Initially appearing authentic with the FSA logo and an official stamp, further examination revealed inconsistencies: the company had no record of existence prior to 2016 as claimed; references were made to fictitious Norwegian laws; and the signature belonged to someone who had never worked at the FSA.

Maritime risk analyst Dimitris Ampatzidis notes that operations within shadow fleets are increasingly influencing regulatory oversight and financial risks in global shipping. According to Kpler,a maritime analytics firm,sanctioned vessel activities have surged as early 2023—with over 600 sanctioned ships operating under high-risk flags.

The prevalence of fake insurances and class certificates complicates enforcement efforts while heightening environmental risks. Ro Marine even misrepresented itself as being based in Norway by listing its address at the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association building in Oslo—a claim that has been denied by the association itself.

When authorities attempted outreach for