{"id":13565,"date":"2024-05-22T19:07:49","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T18:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maritimafrica.com\/en\/?p=13565"},"modified":"2024-05-22T19:07:49","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T18:07:49","slug":"gabon-and-eswatini-listed-as-flags-of-convenience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maritimafrica.com\/en\/gabon-and-eswatini-listed-as-flags-of-convenience\/","title":{"rendered":"GABON AND ESWATINI LISTED AS FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) adds two new countries\u00a0to its longstanding list of Flags of Convenience.<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Two ship registries strongly associated with \u2018dark fleet\u2019 transportation \u2013 Gabon and Eswatini \u2013 are the latest additions to the ITF\u2019s Flags of Convenience (FOC) list.<\/span><\/p>\n

The additions are accompanied by the removal of Tonga from the 76-year-old list, bringing the total number of FOCs to 43.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a toxic industry \u2013 registering ships in countries where there is no regulation, no oversight and no accountability. It allows for exploitation and the abandonment of seafarers. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The aim is to provide a short cut for shipowners to generate money without necessarily complying with best practice risk mitigation and due diligence through regulatory accountability said\u00a0Paddy Crumlin<\/strong>, President of the ITF.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Companies often register ships in low regulation countries to hide ownership, reduce tax obligations, employ cheap labour or skirt safety standards \u2013 with profound implications for seafarers working on those vessels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some 50 percent of the world fleet is registered in FOC states. The top three contributors \u2013Panama, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands \u2013 alone account for over 40 percent of the international fleet\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The ITF defines an FOC vessel as one flying the flag of a country other than its actual ownership. This practice occurs despite international law – the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea \u2013 stating that there must be a \u201cgenuine link\u201d between the ship and the flag state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

David Heindel<\/strong>, ITF’s Seafarers’ Section Chair, said: \u201cThe whole flags of convenience system is complex on purpose. The reasons for registering ships under flags of convenience is to avoid tax, avoid safety regulations, and circumvent labour standards and human rights.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“A genuine link between the ship and its registry is so important to be able to identify who is the real owner. Flag registers should not be allowed to operate as businesses using lower standards than traditional national registers. Until that\u2019s stopped, seafarers\u2019 rights will continue to be abused with impunity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Both Gabon and Eswatini\u2019s registries are believed to be involved in the growing, so-called \u2018shadow\u2019 or \u2018dark fleets\u2019 transporting sanctioned oil. \u00a0Gabon\u2019s registry has grown exponentially since international sanctions came into effect following Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<\/span><\/p>\n

ENDS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

NOTES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n