Vanuatu to register 'Phocea' sailing yacht

Phocea, the sailing yacht at the centre of allegations she smuggled weapons or drugs into Vanuatu, and without registration to a flag state, has now gained temporary registration by a Vanuatu committee, Radio New Zealand has reported.

On 5 February she was still detained in Vila Harbour, Vanuatu, where she has been since July 2012 having no one flag of origin and reports that she had used forged Vanuatu documents as well as registering with several states.

Now it’s reported that Vanuatu’s Maritime Affairs Technical Advisory Committee has issued provisional registration to the 75m yacht.

She will receive a six-month registration signed by the Deputy Commissioner of the Committee, Guy Benard. This registration will allow the Phocea to sail to Thailand for further permanent registration on the Vanuatu International registry after full survey, the Radio New Zealand report continues.




It is also stated that a copy of the registration certificate recognises the co-owner of Phocea as Pascal Anh Quan Saken. The diplomatic Vanuatu passport holder has remained in the background since the yacht’s impounding in summer last year, emerging in January 2013 with a complaint against police of piracy and impounding the yacht to gain high berthing fees.

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