5/15/2014 Flag state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Flag stateFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The flag state of a commercial vessel is the state under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed.

The flag state has the authority and responsibility to enforce regulations over vessels registered under its flag,including those relating to inspection, certification, and issuance of safety and pollution prevention documents. Asa ship operates under the laws of its flag state, these laws are used if the ship is involved in an admiralty case.

The term "flag of convenience" describes the business practice of registering a merchant ship in a sovereign statedifferent from that of the ship's owners, and flying that state's civil ensign on the ship. Ships are registered underflags of convenience to reduce operating costs or avoid the regulations of the owner's country. Since the 1921Flag Right Declaration, it has been recognised that all states—including land-locked countries—have a right tobe a flag state.

Panama is currently the world's largest flag state, with almost a quarter of the world's ocean-going tonnage

registered there.[1]

Contents

1 Ship register

2 Regulations

3 See also

4 References and sources

Ship register

Each flag state has a ship register in which all ships that sail under their flag need to be registered. Flag registersin certain countries are open to ships with owners in other countries, which leads to a large discrepancy betweenfleet nationality by ownership and by flag state. Several countries have more than one register:

Denmark, France and Norway maintain an international register to compete with flags of convenience

The different constituent countries of the Netherlands are allowed to set up their own registers under the

Dutch flag

Several territories for which the United Kingdom has responsibility have their own register. Most notably,

the Isle of Man has a significant register.

Regulations

In Canada, Transport Canada is responsible for flag state control under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001.[2]

In Hong Kong, the Marine Department[3] is responsible for flag state control and enforcement under the FlagState Quality Control Scheme.

5/15/2014 Flag state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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In the United Kingdom, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is responsible for flag state control.

In the United States, the Coast Guard, under the authority of various federal laws, regulations, and internationalconventions and treaties, the Officer in Charge Marine Inspections is responsible for the inspection of U.S. flagvessels to ensure compliance operating throughout the world.

In Vanuatu, the Vanuatu Maritime Authority has the responsibility to enforce maritime laws and exercise flag

state control.[4]

See also

List of flags of convenience

Port State Control

References and sources

References

1. ^ http://www.theshippinglawblog.com/2011/04/article-worlds-top-ship-registries-flag.html

2. ^ Flag State Control (http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/oep/inspection/fsc/menu.htm)

3. ^ Shipping Consultative Committee LegCo (http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/aboutus/pdf/scc_p120.pdf)

4. ^ IV. EFFECTIVE FLAG STATE CONTROL (http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y3824e/y3824e07.htm#fnB213)

Sources

Mansell, J.N.K. (2009): Flag State Responsibility: Historical Development and Contemporary

Issues, Springer.

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Categories: Ship registration

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