Chinese Boat Maker Defies UK Sanctions as Larger Vessels Reach British Shores

Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co, a boat producer based in Weihai City, was placed under the United Kingdom’s Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime last July. The sanctions froze the company’s UK-linked assets and disqualified its directors from managing UK-connected firms. Despite these measures, the firm’s website continues to list inflatable boats with “economical” plywood floors and offers bespoke sizing for export to Europe. The company has not responded to inquiries about whether the advertised vessels are intended for Channel crossings.

iNews

A “mega dinghy” carrying more than 230 migrants was intercepted after being sighted near the Paluel nuclear power plant and later taken into British custody. French lifeboat crews reported the craft measured about 15 m—significantly larger than the average 10 m vessel used in recent crossings. The overcrowded boat was described as “buckling under the swell,” and authorities credited swift action with averting a potential tragedy. The incident follows a pattern of smugglers employing bigger, longer-range boats to bypass heightened French coastal enforcement.

iNews

Both agencies said they are working with manufacturers, suppliers and international partners to curb the flow of low-standard equipment.

iNews

• “Work is continuing with manufacturers, suppliers and international partners to prevent small boat equipment being diverted to organised crime groups, with more than 1,100 small boats and engines seized since the election alone.” — The Home Office

iNews

• “We are working with international partners to reduce the supply of this equipment, which is of poor standard and puts migrants at high risk.” — The National Crime Agency (NCA)

iNews