Safety and legal aspects related to ship registration system

The flags of convenience or the open registration system has been for many years criticised and disapproved based on significant matters such as safety, security, labour as well as financial and legal issues. Implementing strict regulations as regards to ownership, manning, management and administration, close registration are by definition those registries which involve a genuine connection by virtue of national, economical and social ties among the ship-owner and its State. During the past decades both regimes have exposed many issues which have worried the international maritime community. These authors are of the opinion that indeed there are issues concerning registration and nationality of vessels, and that several States implementing close or open registries have been efficient in safety and security matters; in contrast to other States which have shown many problems regarding the aforementioned issues.