
Maintaining the Fight Against FOCs
The story may have been largely overlooked around the winter holidays, but the recent seizure of the Eagle S oil tanker in the Baltic Sea highlights a critical issue in the maritime industry: the flags-of- convenience (FOC) system. Allegedly involved in sabotaging undersea cables between Finland and Estonia, the Eagle S, flagged under the Cook Islands, exemplifies the systemic flaws of the FOC scheme, which allows vessels to operate with minimal oversight and opaque ownership.
Specific details aside, this incident isn’t isolated. FOCs, also known as runaway flags, facilitate poor maintenance standards, regulatory evasion, and anonymity that rogue actors exploit for financial and/or geopolitical gain. In the case of the Eagle S, its integration into Russia’s “dark fleet” raises concerns about hybrid warfare targeting critical infrastructure, underscoring the global security risks tied to FOC shipping.
For more than 75 years, calls for reform have highlighted the dangers that flags of convenience pose to maritime safety, workers’ rights, and environmental security. Now, with incidents like this becoming increasingly linked to hybrid threats, it’s clear that the FOC system is no longer just an industry concern – it’s a global imperative.
Governments and industry leaders must advocate for stronger regulations to enforce transparency, hold flag states accountable, and close loopholes that enable vessels like the Eagle S to operate with impunity.
As many Seafarers know, an FOC ship is one that flies the flag of a country other than the nation of ownership. The flag state bears legal responsibility for making sure that vessel owners adhere to certain minimum standards for safety and crew wellbeing. But many shipowners use runaway flags to dodge responsibility, bowing to the bottom line no matter the human or environmental cost.
We in the SIU have helped fight against this system for a long time, primarily through our affiliation with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). As described by the ITF, “An FOC registry offers shipowners cheap registration fees, and low or no taxes. Once a ship is registered under an FOC, many shipowners then recruit the cheapest labor they can find, pay minimal wages and cut costs by lowering standards of living and working conditions for the crew.”
There is more to the scheme than just saving money, however. Evading responsibility is often in the mix, so that when an issue arises – like the one involving the Eagle S – it’s difficult to hold anyone accountable. As reported by industry publication Lloyd’s List, “The beneficial owners of Eagle S … are hidden behind complex corporate structures. The registered owner of Eagle S is a single-ship structure that purports to have an office in the business center of a luxury hotel in Dubai.”
Consistent with the ITF, the SIU shares the belief that there should be a genuine link between the vessel owner and the flag the ship flies, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. There is no genuine link in the case of 43 countries declared as FOC registries.
It’s worth noting that there are decent shipowners and operators out there, both independent and those engaged through the International Bargaining Forum (IBF). Together, they have agreements covering crews on over 13,000 FOC ships. These contracts provide basic protections and guarantees for foreign mariners. IBF vessel agreements are renegotiated every two to four years, while others are encouraged to join through the efforts of the ITF Inspectorate network.
Our important work in the maritime industry never ends. Collectively, FOCs present a significant challenge, but one worth tackling head-on.
What does this mean to you, the American seafarer? It underscores the importance of solidarity and collective action. The agreements we fight for globally don’t just protect foreign mariners—they set benchmarks that impact the entire industry, including your working conditions and job security. A strong, united effort to hold FOCs accountable benefits everyone, ensuring fair treatment, safer workplaces, and a more level playing field for mariners worldwide.
This struggle isn’t just about others; it’s about protecting the rights of all seafarers, including you.
Sincere Thanks
I appreciate the confidence you’ve shown in me and in the other SIU officials, through your strong turnout and supportive votes in the recently concluded SIU election. As someone who has spent my whole life in this organization, first going to the hall as a child with my dad, then as a rank-and-file member and later as an official, I couldn’t be more committed to your success.
My predecessor Mike Sacco often said the SIU is more like a family than a union, and as I begin a full term at the helm, I have a greater appreciation for that sentiment. We may squabble like rival siblings from time to time, but ultimately, we are one crew, doing our very best to stay on the right course and lift each other up.
I look forward to our team earning plenty of success in 2025 and the years that follow.
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