Eighteen Shipping Nations Urge Global Cooperation to Prevent Two-Tier Maritime System
A coalition of 18 shipping nations, including countries from Europe, Asia, and North America, has issued a joint statement calling for enhanced cooperation and adherence to international maritime rules. The group, known as the Consultative Shipping Group, warns that current global events, such as the rise of a 'sanction-busting shadow fleet,' ongoing wars, and discriminatory trade measures, are fostering a parallel system within global shipping. This emerging 'two-tier system' consists of one segment governed by established rules and another characterized by opacity, ultimately weakening the entire maritime trade framework. The group emphasizes that the solution lies not in creating more regulations or relying on unilateral actions, but rather in better aligning existing international rules. Established in the 1960s, the Consultative Shipping Group serves as a forum for discussing and coordinating maritime policy issues among its member nations. They highlight the critical role of global shipping as essent...