Money Laundering Typology (Shipping)

A documented pattern by which shipping and trade finance disguise the origin of illicit funds. FATF typologies for the sector include over- and under-invoicing of cargo, multiple invoicing, phantom shipments, and misdescription of goods to move value across borders under cover of legitimate trade. The complex chartering chain, single-ship companies, and cash-intensive bunkering add layers. The placement, layering, and integration model maps onto freight payments, vessel purchases, and falsified bills of lading.