The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has approved new guidelines aimed at improving transparency in ship registration and cracking down on the growing misuse of flags. Adopted by the IMO’s Legal Committee during its 113th session in London, the measures are designed to strengthen due diligence, enhance oversight of registries and ensure the accuracy of vessel ownership records. The move comes in response to a sharp rise in fraudulent registrations and so-called “false flag” operations. IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez described the development as a necessary step for the industry, stating: “This is a welcome step towards ensuring due diligence in ship registration systems for the benefit of safety, protection of the marine environment and the well-being of seafarers.” The guidelines are not binding but aim to close a longstanding regulatory gap, as there is currently no global framework governing ship registration. Instead, they provide practical recommendations for flag states on verification processes, ownership checks and information sharing. The urgency of the issue has been underscored by new data presented to the committee. Over the past year, 529 ships were found to be falsely flying a country’s flag, while nearly 40 IMO member states reported cases of their registries being misused by criminal groups without their knowledge. The new framework focuses on tightening controls over who can carry out registrations, improving quality assurance procedures, and strengthening checks on vessel identity and eligibility. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); });