Fake flags, rogue registries and dark fleet spark calls for crackdown on ship oversight
Fraudulent ship registration threatens maritime safety and security, pollution, seafarers’ welfare, and international legal compliance in general, but there are limited options on the table to deal with the growing problem
The lack of a genuine link between ships and the flag they fly has long been a subject of debate within the IMO, but the rise of the dark fleet* and a growing problem with fraudulent flags has spurred action from governments concerned about looming safety disasters