A coalition of 18 leading shipping nations has warned that mounting geopolitical tensions, unilateral trade actions, and the rapid growth of the shadow fleet are putting the rules-based maritime system under increasing strain.
A coalition of 18 leading shipping nations has warned that mounting geopolitical tensions, unilateral trade actions, and the rapid growth of the shadow fleet are putting the rules-based maritime system under increasing strain.
In a public statement issued Monday, the Consultative Shipping Group (CSG) called for stronger international cooperation to safeguard freedom of navigation and preserve fair competition across global shipping markets. Its members, drawn from Europe, Asia, and North America, said recent crises have revealed just how exposed maritime supply chains have become.
The group pointed to a series of disruptions — including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, drought-related restrictions at the Panama Canal, and conflict in the Middle East — as evidence of the shipping sector’s vulnerability. It said those challenges are now being intensified by geopolitical fragmentation and discriminatory trade measures.
“Global shipping works best when rules are clear and consistent around the world,” the CSG said. “Fragmentation in rules leads directly to fragmentation in markets and ultimately to higher costs for businesses and consumers.”
The warning comes at a time of elevated risk around key maritime chokepoints, especially the Strait of Hormuz. The CSG cited recent disruption there as a clear example of the consequences when freedom of navigation is threatened.
“As the closure of the Strait of Hormuz demonstrates: When shipping supply chains fragment, the global economy fragments with it,” the group said.
With more than 80% of world trade carried by sea, the group stressed that freedom of navigation is essential not only to global commerce, but also to food and energy security.
The CSG also expressed concern about the continued expansion of the so-called shadow fleet — vessels used to evade sanctions while often operating outside standard safety, insurance, and transparency regimes. According to the group, the growth of these fleets is creating a parallel shipping system that sidesteps established environmental and operational standards, weakening trust in maritime markets.
“The result is a two-tier system, one governed by rules, the other by opacity, ultimately weakening both,” the statement said.
Rather than layering on new regulations or relying on a patchwork of unilateral measures, the CSG argued that governments should prioritize stronger and more consistent enforcement of existing international rules.
It identified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the legal cornerstone for maritime activity, including innocent passage and transit passage, and described the International Maritime Organization as the primary forum for setting global shipping standards.
The group said consistent application of these rules gives shipping companies the certainty they need to invest, plan, and operate internationally, while ensuring that competition is driven by efficiency, innovation, and service quality — not by regulatory loopholes.
To strengthen the system, the CSG called for more uniform enforcement across jurisdictions, greater transparency, improved information-sharing between authorities, and continued political backing for common international maritime standards.
“Strong international cooperation is not a constraint on sovereignty; it is a prerequisite for effective governance in an interconnected world,” the group said.
The Consultative Shipping Group is an informal forum of maritime authorities from 18 major shipping nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The group said its members remain committed to defending freedom of navigation and preventing geopolitical and regulatory fragmentation from becoming entrenched in global shipping.
“Sovereignty and resilience depend on cooperation, coordination and practical problem-solving among trusted partners in the world’s maritime supply chains,” the CSG said.