VANUATU is moving to protect its international reputation, by removing three fishing vessels from its national registry after the ships were fined for illegal fishing in the South Atlantic by Argentine authorities.
The decision signals a hardening stance by the Vanuatu International Shipping Registry against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing—a practice that has long plagued the global fishing industry
The vessels struck of the registry—Bao Feng, Hai Xing 2, and Bao Win—were originally approved for registration by the Vanuatu Fisheries Department on June 6, 2024. That was four months before the current VISR administration assumed responsibility in October 2024, and began implementing sweeping reforms.
“The current administration inherited a system requiring significant strengthening and has acted decisively,” said VISR Administrator Saade Makhlouf said.
“Vanuatu takes IUU risks seriously, and vessels exposing the flag to repeated regulatory or reputational risk will not be allowed to remain under the registry.”
Since taking over, VISR has introduced a raft of new compliance measures: zero-tolerance policies for IUU fishing, mandatory disclosure of vessel ownership, 24-hour incident reporting, and pre-approval requirements for any new fishing vessel seeking Vanuatu’s flag. The registry also maintains 24/7 monitoring of flagged vessels, backed by powers granted under the 2025 amendments to the Maritime Act.
Makhlouf acknowledged that VISR does not operate the national Vessel Monitoring System — that remains with the Fisheries Department. However, he emphasized that fishing violations directly impact the reputation of the Vanuatu flag, prompting the registry to act.
Marine traffic data shows Hai Xing 2 at 58.88 meters with 737 DWT, while Bao Win, built in 2025, measures 59 meters with a 696-tonne capacity and is currently operating in open South Atlantic waters. Specifications for Bao Feng remain unconfirmed.
