The Ministry of Public Utilities and Aviation says that it is actively engaging all relevant local and international law enforcement agencies to bring Captain Suniel Kumar – who it described as a lead perpetrator of fraudulent registry activities – to account.
The ministry yesterday accused Kumar of fraudulent registration, the operation of fraudulent Ship Registries and related unlawful practices in more than fourteen countries.
Indar made the statements while addressing the Second Annual Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda from July 13 to 15, 2026.
A release from Indar’s ministry said that the high-level engagement was convened to fortify international sanctions enforcement, enhance maritime security, and improve cooperation in preventing sanctions evasion and other illicit maritime activities.
Indar stressed the importance of international cooperation and coordination. These collaborative efforts, he said, have resulted in several successful enforcement actions against vessels fraudulently operating under the Guyana flag, including the MT Skipper, which was intercepted off the coast of Venezuela in December 2025, and the MT Majestic X, which was detained in April 2026.
The Minister reaffirmed that Guyana maintains a closed ship registry and stressed that the Government is prepared to invest the financial and technical resources required to preserve the integrity and reputation of the national flag.
He added that with the continued support of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the wider maritime community, Guyana is strengthening its systems to identify and prevent the registration of vessels suspected of engaging in illicit activities.
On February 11, 2022, the Government of Guyana informed Nautilus Register “ClassNR”, a subsidiary of Aryavart Corporation, that it was to cease all representation of Guyana and its Maritime Administration (MARAD) citing termination of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) due to breach of contractual negotiations.
“You are relieved and removed from all roles and responsibilities under the said MoU,” Attorney General Anil Nandlall wrote in a letter addressed to Prof. (Capt) Suniel Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, of Nautilus Register “ClassNR”, a subsidiary of Aryavart Corporation, an international technical and administrative representative of the Guyana Ships Registry, under the name International Maritime Safety Agency for Guyana (IMSAG).
Nandlall’s letter was sent weeks after the detention by the Senegalese customs of the motor vessel Eolika purportedly bearing Guyana registration which had a quantity of illegal arms and ammunition on board.
The MoU had granted the company permission to function on government’s behalf to offer licences to vessels registered under the Guyana flag. The company was ordered to relinquish to MARAD all relevant details and supporting documentation of all transactions undertaken on behalf of the Guyana flag and the Government of Guyana.
Nandlall reminded the CEO, who had acknowledged a Notification of Termination dated 13 August, 2021, which succeeded the Notification of Breach of Contractual Obligations dated 29 June, 2021, that it “effectively terminated all agreements/ arrangements with Aryavart Corporation and its subsidiaries” pursuant to their agreement, including the MoU, dated 3 March, 2021.
The Legal Affairs Minister stated that as a result of statements issued by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill, which indicated that the representations were illicit and fraudulent, the government of Guyana has dissociated itself from IMSAG, its principals, subsidiaries and their affiliates.
“This Statement sought, inter alia, to alert all stakeholders, national, regional and international, that IMSAG has ceased to be a representative of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and the Guyana flag”.
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