Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) has recently published a new report which indicates the number of countries around the world with cabotage laws has increased to 105, up from 91 according to their 2018 study. The findings, found in the new second edition of “Cabotage Laws of the World”, highlight the growing recognition of the importance of a national maritime strategy and policies which safeguard domestic shipping, strengthen supply chain resilience and protect the jobs of seafarers.
The study was authored by SRI CEO Deirdre Fitzpatrick and Emeritus Professor Hilton Staniland and shows that cabotage policies have expanded significantly in recent years across regions including Western Africa, the Middle East, Central America and the Pacific. Strong cabotage policies now cover roughly 85% of the world’s coastlines and continues to increase amid growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
President of the Seafarers’ International Union of Canada (SIU) and Chair of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Cabotage Taskforce, Chris Given, stressed the importance of this global shift, particularly for Canada and other maritime nations that already maintain cabotage protections.
All stakeholders have learned a great deal over recent years, specifically about how resilient and how fragile our supply chains truly are, as demonstrated through difficulties such as the pandemic, multiple wildfires, and the wars and conflicts currently impacting our global community,” said Given. “The positive in this is that we have always had a safeguard in both Canada and the United States in that our national shipping industries are bolstered through the Coasting Trade Act in Canada and the Jones Act in the United States.
Cabotage is essential to ensuring countries maintain control and stability during times of disruption. Having national flag vessels and a national workforce to transport cargo and passengers strengthens both economic security and sovereignty.
“The development and strengthening of these regulations can aid in building resilience into supply chains,” he said. “Recent disruptions have proven that autonomy over supply chains forms an integral part of any successful national economic and national security policy.”
The report also shows why maritime cabotage policies are the norm rather than the exception. With 105 nations adopting such policies, cabotage has become a pillar of maritime strategy around the world.
“The benefits of cabotage are universal. Domestic maritime shipping is an essential component of a state’s strategic infrastructure and a key factor in protecting its national security.”
To learn more or read the full report, visit https://seafarersrights.org/seafarers-subjects/cabotage/
