Ship Registry
Ship Registries
Ship Registries, also known as maritime administrations, are sovereign bodies that regulate the construction and operation of ships.
Ship registries provide the vessel with an internationally recognized sovereign identity so that the ship may transit internationally.
The registry records information about the vessel:
1. Any unsatisfied liens against the vessel
2. Certification of the identity and competency of the operators of the vessel
3. Regular inspections and audits to make certain that the vessel complies with domestic and international regulations.
4. Investigate accidents, injuries, or damage involving a vessel in their jurisdiction.
There are two types of ship registers: National and Open.
A national register typically requires the ship to be owned, constructed and operated by nationals of the register. For example, in the United States, vessels not meeting these requirements are not permitted to carry cargo or passengers between US ports.
An open register does not require that a vessel be owned, constructed and operated by the nationals of the register. The open register system was established in the 1920s as a way to circumvent United States' restrictions in the Jones Act. Quality open registers emphasize effective compliance regimes, policies that encourage investment, and cooperation with ship owners to improve performance and prevent casualty.
Open registries give ship owners access to worldwide markets for financing, shipbuilding expertise, management, and crew members. Additionally, flag states provide consistent and predictable taxation polices. Many flag states assess tax based on the size of the vessel as opposed to the revenue that it earns.
The safety record of vessels under a quality open register consistently outperform those in a national registry.
The Flag of convenience Campaign
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is a union. As an intimidation tactic, the ITF established the Flag of Convenience or "FOC" campaign.
The goal of this campaign according to the ITF is two-fold:
1. A political campaign to link the flag a ship flies and the nationality of its owners, managers, and seafarers.
2. An industrial campaign to protect seafarers.
As a union, the ITF's goal is to organize seafarers into a union.
The ITF extorts money from ship owners through the sale of ITF Blue Cards. Presentation of an ITF Blue Card by a ship captain prevents his ship from being hassled by ITF port agents around the world. 85% of ITF's $40 million in annual revenues is represented by the sale of ITF Blue Cards.
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