PM Gaston Browne

The Department of State and the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) co-hosted the Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium in St. John’s, Antigua, July 13–15, 2026. The Symposium brought together ship registries, maritime authorities, international organizations, and global coalitions — including the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) — from 26 countries to advance enforcement of nonproliferation sanctions across the global maritime sector and deny rogue regimes the revenue they need to threaten U.S. national security.

Strong, coordinated global enforcement of nonproliferation sanctions raises the cost of evasion, shrinks the pool of actors willing to service shadow fleet vessels, and degrades proliferators’ ability to fund their weapons programs. Under President Trump, the United States has sanctioned hundreds of vessels, entities, and individuals involved in these illicit networks — and this Symposium deepens the international partnerships that multiply the effectiveness of those measures.

The United States thanks the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the ADOMS for their partnership and reaffirms its commitment to working with the global maritime community to enforce nonproliferation sanctions, disrupt proliferation financing, and uphold the international norms that keep the world safer.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: United States and Antigua and Barbuda Co-Host Global Maritime Security and Sanctions Enforcement Symposium.