- The Cook Islands were removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) in May 2025, reportedly due to a potential violation of unspecified terms.
- The compact now includes over 10 registries aimed at preventing “flag hopping” and improving sanction compliance.
- The removal followed the December 2024 seizure of the Eagle S, a Cook Islands-flagged ship suspected of damaging a Baltic Sea cable and linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
The Cook Islands is seeking answers after its removal from an international shipping database designed to fight illicit maritime activities. Maritime Cook Islands (MCI) was informed in May that it had been taken off the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) due to a possible breach of the agreed terms. MCI says it contacted RISC’s founding members on 8, 13, and 21 May but has received no reply, according to the report published by Radio New Zealand.
The Cook Islands says it supports RISC objectives and denies any Breach
The Cook Islands were removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC), as first reported by Lloyd’s List on 20 May. The country denies any wrongdoing and says it does not allow sanctioned vessels on its register. It also states that no flagged vessels from RISC members have been registered under its authority.
Maritime Cook Islands (MCI) claims there were no terms and conditions discussed when it joined RISC. The compact was launched in 2019 by the ship registries of Liberia, the Marshall Islands, and Panama. Other members now include Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Honduras, Vanuatu, Dominica, Belize, Moldova, and Antigua and Barbuda.
RISC helps registries share vessel data to prevent “flag hopping,” where ships move between registries to dodge sanctions. MCI joined the compact in May 2020 and says it continues to support its goals. In March, the Cook Islands praised RISC during a meeting of the International Maritime Organization Legal Committee.
The issue may be linked to the Cook Islands-flagged ship Eagle S, which was seized by Finnish authorities on 25 December 2024. The ship is suspected of damaging the Estlink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia. It is also believed to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet, used to bypass oil sanctions. However, both the Ministry of Transport and MCI insist the vessel has never been under sanctions.
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Source: RadioNewZealand
