Two Swiss lawyers have published a 247-page book looking at the risks associated with flags of convenience.

The research for the book took the authors to various locations, including accident sites in Europe and Africa, inspections in Belgian ports, developers of new engines and fuels, and a ship recycling facility in India. They interviewed representatives from regulatory bodies, governments, shipping companies, traders, ports, NGOs, and even captains and seafarers.

The book explores the shipping economy, the fragility of modern supply chains, ship ownership, operations, financing, labor rights and their violations, environmental impacts, and the search for greener alternatives.

In its conclusion, the book discusses the shipping regulatory framework, suggesting that regulations and institutions have evolved with globalization to serve industry and economic priorities. Despite efforts to address environmental, climate, and human rights issues, the authors argue that the regulatory framework still allows major players to evade accountability.

“The global shipping industry faces numerous challenges related to environmental protection and labor conditions. The main issue is not regulation itself, but the lack of implementation, with flags of convenience being a significant factor,”.

Betz expressed doubts about the ability of the International Maritime Organization and other bodies to enforce rules effectively.

“We believe that beyond self-regulation, stricter government intervention, including tougher Port State Control, is necessary,” she said.

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