Over 100 ships have sailed with fake insurance from the Norwegian Ro Marine

Summary

All large ships must have insurance, and Ro Marine has provided this in a big way. The Norwegian company did not have permission to sell insurance but did it anyway — to clients worldwide. In March, we reported how select ships used false papers to deceive inspectors in NATO countries. Now, NRK and Dossier Center can reveal how extensive and global the fraud was: over 100 ships have sailed with illegitimate insurance documents from Ro Marine. “It's very serious and unusual that such a serious fraud happens with the help of a Norwegian company. At worst, it could undermine the trust in the Norwegian maritime industry,” says Thomas Angell Bergh from the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Thomas Angell Bergh Most of the fake insurance papers were for ships transporting goods out of Russia, mainly oil. NRK has contacted dozens of Ro Marine’s clients. Only a few were willing to speak with us. One of the customers says he was scammed by Ro Marine because he believed the insurance policies he purchased were valid. Another says that "everyone" knows Ro Marine is fake, but that the ships need Western insurance documents. Such documents can make it easier to sail freely, without Western countries interfering in the transport. This signature appears time and again on documents issued by Ro Marine. The search for the owner of the signature led us to a Russian website, where you can download many different signatures. The one used by Ro Marine belongs to a "doctor," says the website. Norwegian-Russian scam Behind the global hoax is this man. His name is Andrey Mochalin, a Russian citizen and resident of St. Petersburg. Mochalin has experience working for a reputable Norwegian insurance company. In March, he, two Norwegians and a Bulgarian were charged with forging documents and operating an insurance business without a permit. Mochalin is also being investigated for violating international sanctions. Through an attorney, the Norwegians say they do not understand the charges (see thei...