The Consultative Shipping Group (CSG), representing 18 maritime nations, issued a joint statement highlighting the risks posed by 'parallel systems' in shipping, which threaten to create a two-tier structure that undermines trust and safety at sea.
With over 80% of global trade transported by sea, the CSG emphasized that disruptions in maritime supply chains—exacerbated by events such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East—could lead to significant economic fragmentation.
The group pointed out that discriminatory trade measures and diverging national approaches to maritime navigation create uncertainty, complicating long-term commercial planning and increasing operational costs. They noted a rise in vessels circumventing sanctions, contributing to a shadow fleet that operates outside established safety and environmental standards.
This fragmentation not only increases risks but also threatens the coherence of global trade, as evidenced by the current bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz. The CSG called for stronger international cooperation to uphold existing maritime rules and standards, warning that failure to do so could lead to further disruptions in key shipping routes and ultimately harm the global economy