Norwegian firm Ro Marine accused of issuing fake insurance certificates to Russian 'Shadow Fleet'
Norwegian firm Ro Marine AS, which is owned by a Russian national, has been accused of issuing fraudulent insurance certificates to 76 tankers belonging to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," without the necessary licensing, according to Danish news outlet Danwatch and Norway's news agency NRK .
Presenting itself as a marine insurance company, Ro Marine AS reportedly conducts no financial transactions, lacks any work reports, and operates with virtually no staff apart from a Bulgarian board member, the journalists report.
Compounding the concern, Ro Marine allegedly never received the requisite authorization from Norwegian authorities to issue insurance certificates. Investigative journalists from Danwatch and NRK identified at least 255 merchant ships and oil tankers issued with certificates by Ro Marine, with 76 linked to Russia's "shadow fleet."
At the helm of the company is 41-year-old Russian citizen Andrey Mochalin, reportedly residing in St. Petersburg. Investigators also uncovered that the company's website is managed from St. Petersburg and its logo crafted by a Russian design agency.
The investigation took a significant turn on Friday, March 21, when Norwegian police conducted a raid at an Oslo location. According to reports, four individuals are under scrutiny in connection with Ro Marine. Among them are Mochalin, the Bulgarian board member, and two Norwegian nationals. They face accusations of document forgery and unauthorized insurance activities.