The system of flags of convenience and that of paradises are two sides of the same coin. They allow you to conduct, almost always with impunity, illegal operations that fatally harm the vast majority of the population world. The second system, incredibly, is not at the top to the agenda of national and international movements that promote social equity, while it should have been for decades now.

The former, on the other hand, is at the top of the union's agenda International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), and has been for the time. But if no government seems willing to urge the dismantling the system of tax havens, let alone nor is anyone interested in abolishing the system of flags of convenience, an action that would also be much more simple compared to the first.

That there are strong interests in keeping the system standing of flags and registers of convenience proves to be more clearly in crisis situations, such as the wars currently in the when different governments can take advantage of the system to the procurement of licit and illicit goods that would otherwise could be blocked by sanctions, military interventions, or other actions.

For these reasons, there is a well-founded fear that the new appeal launched today by the ITF falls on deaf ears.

The international trade union has urged an immediate end humanitarian crisis linked to the blockade of ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz that is affecting seafarers and urged the governments to face the system of flags of convenience that - has denounced once again ITF - favors the exploitation and not protects seafarers.

In a statement, the ITF specified that the maritime unions of gathered at the Fair Practices Committee of the international trade unions reiterated "the appeal of the ITF for a permanent ceasefire and a complete de-escalation from all involved, as well as the urgent launch of the of diplomatic action based on international law". In addition, the unions condemned "the bombings illegal acts perpetrated by Israel and the United States and the subsequent retaliatory attacks launched by Iran across the region, in violation of the most fundamental rule of law the prohibition of the use of force".

"Over 20,000 seafarers - the unions recalled - remain trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, facing fear and uncertainty, isolated from their families and, in many cases, short of food, water and fuel. Seafarers were killed and wounded in attacks in a war zone they did not choose to go to. They are workers coming largely from the South of the world, far away from home, who transport the goods of the world on behalf of all the economies and communities. Yet they are used as pawns in a geopolitical conflict. The mental health of maritime forces in the region is under enormous pressure and employers, including our partners in the International Bargaining Forum, continue to deny greater protection for damages psychosocial problems, including suicide in the most desperate cases".

The international trade union has therefore again put under accuses the system of flags of convenience, which is precisely also used during war crises, further aggravating the situation of seafarers. "We denounced him - he reiterated the ITF - we have campaigned against it, We have documented the human consequences and asked the governments to act to end it. We reiterate: the Flag system of Convenience is the rotten apple at the heart of exploitation seafarers. In this crisis, it is the basis of many of the abuses with which our inspectors and support teams they have to deal with on a daily basis. It is architecture that allows the shadow fleet, the record figures of abandonments of Seafarers and the worst abuses of the crew change crisis due to Covid-19. And governments have chosen, year after year, crises after the crisis, to abandon the seafarers".

The ITF has announced that since the beginning of the US/Israeli war and Iran has received over 2,200 requests for assistance from seafarers in the region, with half of them concerning non- paid and contractual rights not respected, while about 20% are requests for repatriation and about 10% concern ships with a serious lack of fuel and supplies essential. In the union he specified that he has contributed, to date, the repatriation of over 540 seafarers.

The international trade union also pointed out that this crisis is by no means unexpected, given that the data on the abandonment of seafarers reported that 2025 has been the worst year ever for this phenomenon, with 6,223 seafarers and a 32% increase over the previous year, and how 2025 was the sixth consecutive year of case growth ( of 23 January 2026).

"With the FOC (Free of Carriage) system - denounced ITF - a shipowner can register a ship in a State without any actual connection with its ownership, management, or operation, in violation of the Convention of the United Nations United on the law of the sea. In exchange for registration fees, the Flag states offer minimal control and accountability Almost nothing. They are selling sovereignty without controls. The simple fact that a shipowner can buy a flag, exploit a crew, abandon a ship and Registering it tomorrow under another flag - legally - says it all on the precarious situation of maritime governance. States of flag and unscrupulous employers have repeatedly disappointed the seafarers, without consequences. The worst FOC flags have demonstrated a total lack of responsibility in the towards its crews. It is a choice: the choice to collect registration fees instead of protecting and enforcing the rights of seafarers".

To begin dismantling this perverse system, The International Transport Workers' Federation has called for introduction of mandatory transparency on ownership for all ship registrations, the initiation of investigations into on the FOC system and the application of the principle of "effective link", according to which the Member States of flag that are unable to demonstrate such a link they should lose the right to fly flags. In addition, ITF has called for full accountability for States flag that repeatedly infringe the obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention and the Guaranteed Right to Employment repatriation, recovery of wages and compensation for seafarers abandoned, with flag states retained financially liable if the shipowners cannot be traced.

Bruno Bellio