News

The murky system of registering vessels to countries offering flags of convenience (FOC) is fuelling pirate fishing in the world’s oceans and risking potentially catastrophic security and safety breaches, according to a new report from the International Transport Workers' Federation and WWF, the global conservation organization.

Often FOC countries exercise little or no control over how ships registered to fly their flags operate, and turn a blind eye to illegal activities. FOC ships subsequently dominate lists focusing on sub-standard shipping, poor safety, maltreatment of crew, pollution of the marine environment and illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing.

The report, Real and Present Danger: Flag State Failure and Maritime Security and Safety, cites examples of criminal activities by FOC ships, including piracy, arms smuggling and people trafficking, and notes that illegal activities are often intertwined with those that are legitimate...