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 clarification on this misinformation, they received no reply. Investigations later revealed that Ro Marine’s website was managed from St.Petersburg with branding materials sourced from a Russian design agency.Authorities identified at least 255 vessels purportedly insured by Ro Marine; among these were 76 directly tied to Russia’s shadow fleet—manny navigating thru Baltic waters under dubious documentation.

In March 2025,Finnish authorities inspected an oil tanker named Achilles—a massive vessel transporting oil from Primorsk—and discovered it carried forged insurance papers allegedly approved by Norway’s FSA after further scrutiny proved otherwise.

The Danish Maritime Authority acknowledged challenges in verifying Ro Marine’s certificates and is collaborating with Norwegian officials along with flag states on necessary actions against such fraudulent practices.Ships caught providing false documentation could face sanctions moving forward.

Maritime law expert Kristina Siig emphasized how fraudulent insurances undermine global systems designed for preventing environmental disasters related to oil spills. Legitimate insurers typically assess vessel safety before issuing coverage—something companies like Ro Marine blatantly disregard.

Following their investigation on March 21, Norwegian police raided an Oslo address linked to this case resulting in charges against four individuals involved—including Mochalin himself along with his Bulgarian associate and two Norwegians connected through business ties. Reports suggest Mochalin is also under scrutiny for potential violations of Western sanctions regulations.

initially claiming only one spokesperson could respond due illness when journalists began investigating further into their operations led them quietly removing several ships from their website listings while still adding new ones associated with shadow fleets as late as March 23rd!

In recent years there has been notable decline within customary marine insurers—the share of global merchant fleets covered by P&I clubs dropped significantly—from around 95% down now closer towards just above 86%.similarly concerning trends show fewer vessels classified under international Association of Classification Societies (IACS) standards which now sit below 92%.

Harvard University sanctions expert Craig Kennedy warns that such sham insurances not only violate international conventions but also pose important threats across coastal nations worldwide.