Separatist Peoples wrote:Ooc: will try to take another good pass on this tonight.
Much appreciated!
Grays Harbor wrote:The Unified Missourtama States wrote:I'm certainly not against this passing, but it seems like something that is probably best handled locally, even with some of the changes it still sounds like it would put a lot of unnecessary international weight on domestic-only ships.
I would think if a vessel is “domestic only” that would simplify their options and burden, not increase them, as they would register in their own nation as a matter of course. It would also help with decreasing the “flag of convenience” issue, something our nation, being a maritime power, has always viewed as rather reprehensible.
"Thank you for your valued input Ambassador. You have phrased it nuch better than I ever could.
Now, I would like to adress your concern relating to this so called, 'Flags of Convenience'. In my view, this Act actually does combat this to a certain extent. If we study the content of Section 5 and its sub sections, vessels are unable to register with a non member state, in an effort to bypass the extant regulations established by the World Assembly. The general concern relating to the practice of Flags of Convenience has always been the fact that vessels register itself under the juristiction of nations where they lack significant regulations of importance, relating to health & safety regulations; labour laws; security regulations; communication procedures; marking & signals conventions and environmental regulations - where the lack of the enforcement of these is a threat to the overall wellbeing of workers, consumers, and the general public. By criminalising the act of being able to register with non member nations, this Act destroys the traditional Flags of Convenience risks.
However, it is true that this Act does not stop this practice in its entirety, as it allows vessels to 'Fly the Flag' of another Member State. However, we do not see this as a problem, seeing that all Member States are bound by the same high standard of the above mentioned legislation. Therefore, it does not matter what 'flag is flown', as the mariners, consumers and general public remains protected."