IMO wonders how to start its fight against flagging fraud
- States agree the problem is urgent, but procedure makes quick action unlikely
- Broad support for scoping exercise to find out what states can do now; work on guidelines will last until at least 2027. China, Russia and Venezuela decry ‘illegitimate’ sanctions
- Jury still out on whether non-mandatory guidelines and best practices would do much good
The IMO says fraudulent ship registrations are an urgent threat to safety, the environment and the rules-based order. But a holistic, global fix to the problem is not going to come overnight
