Open registries as an enabler of maritime sanctions evasion

TY - JOUR

T1 - Open registries as an enabler of maritime sanctions evasion

AU - Watterson, Christopher J.

AU - Osborne, Stephen

AU - Grant, Samuel

PY - 2020/9

Y1 - 2020/9

N2 - Vessels engaged in the evasion of maritime sanctions are predominantly flagged by open registries: registries that impose little to no nationality requirements on vessel owners and operators. This paper investigates the causes of this phenomenon, arguing that open registries generally lack adequate measures for detecting sanctions evasion in their fleets and that they are targeted for flagging services by sanctions evaders. At the root of this vulnerability to flagging sanctions evaders is the for-profit nature of the open registry system which encourages registries to jettison regulation and oversight to increase their marketability in the competitive industry of international flagging.

AB - Vessels engaged in the evasion of maritime sanctions are predominantly flagged by open registries: registries that impose little to no nationality requirements on vessel owners and operators. This paper investigates the causes of this phenomenon, arguing that open registries generally lack adequate measures for detecting sanctions evasion in their fleets and that they are targeted for flagging services by sanctions evaders. At the root of this vulnerability to flagging sanctions evaders is the for-profit nature of the open registry system which encourages registries to jettison regulation and oversight to increase their marketability in the competitive industry of international flagging.

KW - Due diligence

KW - Flags of convenience

KW - Open registries

KW - Sanctions evasion

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85086996942&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104090

DO - 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104090

M3 - Article

SN - 0308-597X

VL - 119

JO - MARINE POLICY

JF - MARINE POLICY

M1 - 104090

ER -