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

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 their full response in the fact box later in the article). The Bulgarian tells NRK he is innocent. For several months, NRK and Dossier Center have tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with Mochalin. At the same time, we investigated Ro Marine's operations. What we found surprised experts. “Among the worst of the worst” Sanctions expert David Tannenbaum is shocked by the the scale of it. He knows how far Russia is willing to go to protect its oil exports, which are crucial for funding Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine. Sanctions against Russia can make it difficult for tankers carrying Russian oil to obtain insurance that is approved in the West. But they are finding ways around it. This is where Ro Marine enters the picture. “Seems like Ro Marine is popular with sanctions evaders. You don't have this roster by accident,” says David Tannenbaum from Deep Blue Intelligence. The American company specializes in detecting sanctions evasion. For Tannenbaum, it appears that Ro Marine primarily serves the shadow fleet or ships engaged in illegal activities or sanctions evasion. “Is Ro Marine the worst of the worst? I think they're definitely in contention,” he both asks and answers. Our documentation shows, for example, that Gatik, known as one of the largest players in the Russian shadow fleet, appears to have placed almost all of their ships with Ro Marine. In addition, six ships linked to the Russian gas giant Novatek have had fake insurance from the Norwegian company. All six have sailed along the Norwegian coast towards the gas facility Arctic LNG2 in Russia, which is sanctioned by the USA. The ships are sanctioned by the EU. Ships linked to the sanctioned Iranian oil industry and Iranian military have also been customers of Ro Marine. Our documentation of ships that used Ro Marine This documentation comes from a variety of sources, including: Flag states, where the ships have been registered, have shared the number of ships used Ro Marine. We obtained documents issued by Ro Marine that various ships have presented during inspections in Russian ports. Finnish maritime authorities have shared the number of tankers had documents from Ro Marine onboard during inspections in the Gulf of Finland. The ship operaters have reported that they have insurance coverage from Ro Marine in forms consistent with the Q88 system. The information NRK and Dossier Center have obtained is not publicly available. Everything indicates that the number of ships is much higher than what we can document. Dangerous cargo from Russia Among the cargo ships that have purchased invalid insurance from Ro Marine, we found "Agattu". Here, the vessel is sailing between Denmark and Sweden with explosives in the cargo, bound for Algeria. Three tonnes of missile weapons were transported from St. Petersburg in Russia, according to Russian port records. The ship joins the ranks of Ro Marine customers who have contributed to Russia's export revenues by transporting goods from Russian ports. This does not apply to all customers, but the vast majority, according to research by NRK and Dossier Center. Provoked a NATO country Not long ago, it was difficult to imagine that ordinary shipping in Europe could lead to military confrontation. Today, the situation is different. European countries may intervene in oil shipments that violate Western sanctions, which are intended to oppose Putin's bloody war in Ukraine. Russia has its countermeasures. An illustrative example happened to a Ro Marine customer in mid-May: The oil tanker "Blint". The Estonian navy suspected the ship was sailing without a flag—a clear violation of international regulations. The navy radioed the vessel, but according to Estonian authorities, the captain refused to cooperate. Suddenly, a Russian fighter jet came whizzing over them, violating the NATO country’s airspace. Instead of stopping, the sanctioned tanker sailed on to the Russian oil port of Primorsk. This video of the incident is filmed from inside the ship. Like many other tankers transporting Russian oil, "Blint" has had fake insurance from Ro Marine, NRK can document. In this way, Ro Marine has acted in line with the interests of the Russian authorities. Russia's president, October 2023: “Thanks to the actions of companies and authorities, the tanker fleet has grown, new mechanisms for payment, insurance and reinsurance of our cargo have been created.” Vladimir Putin Researcher Åse Gilje Østensen at the Norwegian Naval Academy tells that “sometimes, entities act in the Russian interest on their own initiative. Sometimes, Putin or other central figures around him have signaled that certain initiatives are welcome. In such cases, actors will often seek to please the regime.” Åse Gilje Østensen “Russia is an authoritarian regime that can force civilian actors to assist the regime. Other times, state bodies may be more directly involved. What is the case regarding Ro Marine is difficult to know.” The Russian Embassy in Norway does not answer NRK's questions about Ro Marine's operations because the company is Norwegian and refers us to the Norwegian authorities. They also do not respond to whether Ro Marine has acted in accordance with the interests of Russian authorities, or any other statements and findings in this case. The embassy does however choose to point out that the sanctions against the "shadow fleet" are contrary to international law. The response from the Russian Embassy in Norway NRK has presented our main findings to the Russian Embassy in Norway. The following is their response: According to the Brønnøysund Register Centre, Ro Marine is a Norwegian legal entity, so questions about the company's operations should be directed to the Norwegian authorities. Questions about the commercial relationship between Ro Marine and shipping companies in other countries do not fall under the Embassy's responsibility. At the same time, we wish to point out that the mentioned EU sanctions against the so-called "shadow fleet," which Norway has joined, are legally invalid under international law, as they are not based on international law. Norway's decision to join them is regrettable and indicates a departure from the foreign policy the Norwegian government had previously built, with some exceptions, with a base in international law. Approved by the largest flag state For several years, the Norwegian company operated without permission and with fake documents without any authorities noticing — neither in Norway nor abroad. The earliest objectionable activity was in 2021, according to NRK’s investigation. At that time, Ro Marine applied to be recognized as an insurance company by the world's largest flag state, Panama, despite missing the necessary approval from Norwegian authorities. NRK has found that most ships among Ro Marine's clients are registered in Panama. Ro Marine sent the flag state a forged reference, which was originally given to a completely different company, sources tell NRK. With this reference, Ro Marine was recognized by the flag state of Panama in December 2021. Norwegian Maritime Authority: “This would not happen in Norway” It is inconceivable that Norway would be fooled by a forged reference letter, as the flag state Panama was, according to Department Director Thomas Angell Bergh at the Norwegian Maritime Directorate. “We would never rely solely on another flag state. We, as a nation, are committed to making the assessments ourselves,” says Bergh. NRK asked why Panama did not conduct an independent assessment of the application from Ro Marine. The answer is that prior approval from other flags was sufficient for Panama until the requirements were tightened in 2022. The flag states could have done a search on the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanstilsynet) website. Then they would have quickly seen that Ro Marine lacked the necessary approval. The Norwegian Maritime Authority has a procedure and checklist for insurance companies applying for approval. The criteria are based on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines. A spokesperson for the IMO tells NRK that they do not have the authority to impose sanctions on flag states that do not follow the guidelines. “There is no world police. This is how all international regulations are built with sovereign states,” Bergh points out. The Norwegian Coastal Administration monitors all risky traffic along the Norwegian coast and especially oil and gas transport. Starting August 11, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has begun requesting that foreign-flagged oil tankers in Norwegian waters voluntarily submit their insurance documents. “Missing or fake insurance is one of the reasons why the shadow fleet is causing concern. We are uncertain about the condition of several of these vessels, and they may pose an increased risk to both the environment and maritime safety,” says Coastal Director Einar Vik Arset. In the time that followed, several flag states were fooled by Ro Marine, including by forged documents that looked like they were from the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority. The illegal activity continued unencumbered until NRK alerted the flag states. Russian owner worked many years for a Norwegian company The Russian owner of Ro Marine, Andrey Mochalin, has gone underground. Mochalin has not responded to any of the numerous inquiries from NRK and Dossier Center. For over ten years, he worked for a legitimate Norwegian insurance company. Most of the time, he worked from St. Petersburg. Occasionally, he visited his employer's office in Oslo. Here he is pictured with his former colleagues. At this time, two of his Norwegian managers also owned another company that offered insurance. This company later became Ro Marine. A few weeks after Russia's war against Ukraine began in 2022, Ro Marine passed from Norwegian to Russian ownership. This is when Mochalin bought Ro Marine from the company of the two Norwegians for almost two million NOK. These two Norwegians, along with Andrey Mochalin and a Bulgarian citizen, are charged with forging documents and conducting illegal insurance business. Out of respect for the ongoing investigation, the Norwegians did not want to be interviewed by NRK, according to their lawyer. Ro Marine claimed its address was here at the Norwegian Shipowners' Association building in Oslo, but according to the association, that was not correct. Money trail in Russia Alongside the Norwegian company Ro Marine, Andrey Mochalin runs a company in St. Petersburg with direct links to Ro Marine. NRK and Dossier Center have obtained access to bank documents for his Russian company. The money transfers are many, and some stand out. Last year, there were 36 payments totaling approximately five million NOK that we can connect to Ro Marine. The bank transfers were marked with the name of the ship and the policy number. The number corresponds to insurance documents issued by Ro Marine. The company’s account also shows salary payments to Mochalin. Those charged Here’s what we can share about the Russian Andrey Mochalin and the others charged in the case (in parentheses is the time period they had official roles in Ro Marine): A. Mochalin (2022-2025): Sole owner of Ro Marine during the period when the company's illegal insurance activities were most widespread, according to our documentation. Majority owner of the Russian company that received payments worth millions of NOK last year marked for Ro Marine. Norwegian 1 (2016-2023): Registered as co-owner in the Russian company that last year received payments worth millions of NOK marked for Ro Marine. Owner and board chairman in 2021 when someone sent a forged reference on behalf of Ro Marine to Panama. At the time the company lacked a permit to sell insurance. In 2024, a year after he left the board, contributed to ensuring Ro Marine’s continued operations by securing a new board member: the charged Bulgarian. Norwegian 2 (2017-2023): Owner and managing director in 2021 when someone sent a forged reference on behalf of Ro Marine to Panama. At the time the company lacked a permit to sell insurance. Bulgarian (2024-2025): Car mechanic without any experience in marine insurance. Tenant of Norwegian 1 for years. Board member in Ro Marine for over half a year, up to March 2025. After the Norwegians left the board in 2023, the Norwegian company had a problem. With a Russian as the only board member, the company was in violation of the Companies Act of Norway, which requires at least one board member to be from an EEA country. Since Bulgaria is a member of the EEA, the Bulgarian could solve the issue. According to the Bulgarian, his Norwegian landlord arranged the board position to help him financially. However, he never received the money he was promised and left the board because he realized something was wrong, the Bulgarian says. He does not understand the police's suspicion towards him. “I had no idea what they were doing. I have nothing to hide,” says the Bulgarian to NRK. He has been contacted by the police and says he is fully cooperating with them. The accused Norwegians: “We are cooperating with the investigation” The two Norwegians have responded to NRK via their lawyer that they do not understand the charges against them: "They have no knowledge of any document that is supposed to be forged or that the company is supposed to have conducted insurance brokerage that it did not have the right to do. They are cooperating with Økokrim [Norwegian Economic Crime Authority] in connection with the investigation, including by answering questions and handing over documentation to which they have access. Out of respect for the ongoing investigation, however, they will not comment on claims made by the media," writes lawyer Tom Eivind Haug in an email to NRK. The Bulgarian has declared his innocence to NRK. NRK has not been able to contact the Russian. The Norwegian Economic Crime Authority: "Complex case" The Norwegian company Ro Marine and four individuals are under investigation by the Norwegian Economic Crime Authority (Økokrim). A Russian, a Bulgarian, and two Norwegians are charged with document forgery and operating an insurance business without a permit. The Russian citizen is also being investigated for violating international sanctions. “Økokrim's investigation is in full swing. The case is extensive and complex, with foreign connections. Given the scope of the case, a great deal of work remains before the investigation is completed,” says Prosecutor Maria Bache Dahl. The consequences of uncovering the scam After NRK's revelation in March, several flag states have issued stop orders to ships that used Ro Marine. Panama alone has banned 16 ships from sailing because the ships have not shown new, real insurance within the deadline they were given. The UK has sanctioned Ro Marine. Ro Marines’s website has been taken down. In July, the Oslo District Court forcibly dissolved the company for breach of accounting obligations, because Ro Marine had not submitted annual accounts for 2023. However, the Russian company in St. Petersburg, which received payments worth millions of NOK marked for Ro Marine, is still active. One month after NRK's revelation in March, another ship in the Russian shadow fleet presented a fake insurance certificate from Ro Marine. Inspectors at the oil port of Primorsk were presented with a document "signed in Oslo." The expiration date of the fake insurance? April next year. NRK has contacted the companies that operate the mentioned ships "Agattu" and "Blint", with no response. We have not been able to contact Gatik. Novatek has not responded to our questions. Why we identify the owner of Ro Marine Andrey Mochalin has been the owner and leader of the Norwegian company Ro Marine. NRK can now document that Ro Marine and Mochalin have been central figures in a global insurance fraud where fake insurance documents have been used by over a hundred ships worldwide, including ships in the shadow fleet. When identifying individuals in criminal cases, the media must weigh the public's need for information against the impact on the person or people involved. The extent of the fraud NRK is revealing is very significant. During this period, Mochalin has been central to the company. It is publicly available information who owns and runs a company. NRK can reveal that Mochalin has received money related to insurance from Ro Marine via a Russian business account, from which he has also been paid a salary. As far as NRK and the Dossier Center know, Mochalin's company in Russia is still active. The latest fake insurance documents we have obtained have an expiration date in 2026. In March, Mochalin was charged by Norwegian police for forging documents and conducting insurance business without a license. He is also being investigated for violating international sanctions. This is information we believe has significant international importance and interest. Furthermore, by demonstrating that control systems are not functioning, we highlight a major gap in the Western sanctions aimed at limiting earnings related to Russian oil transport. NRK considers this collectively justifies naming Mochalin. Why we are not identifying the other suspects Two Norwegians and a Bulgarian are also charged in the case. They have been charged with forging documents and conducting insurance business without a license. NRK chooses not to identify the two Norwegians or the Bulgarian citizen. It is good journalistic practice to be cautious about identification early in a police investigation. The Bulgarian citizen tells NRK that he is innocent and has only been a passive board member. NRK has not found documentation showing any active actions related to the Bulgarian. The two Norwegians had active roles in the company, but this was some time ago. In addition they state, through their lawyer, that they are cooperating with Økokrim.