Eighteen of the world’s leading maritime nations have sounded the alarm over the deteriorating state of global shipping regulations, warning that longstanding principles safeguarding free navigation and the neutrality of commercial vessels are unraveling amid growing geopolitical tensions and an expanding shadow fleet. The Consultative Shipping Group (CSG), whose members represent over one-fifth of global trade by tonnage, emphasized that these developments pose a significant threat to the smooth functioning of international trade.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the CSG described recent disruptions—including conflicts over key maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the rise of an unregulated shadow fleet—as indicators of a fundamental shift in how global shipping operates. The group cautioned that these are not temporary disturbances but signal deeper structural challenges to the maritime trade environment.

“Without maritime trade, supply chains would fragment and the global economy as we know it would come to a sudden halt,” the statement said.

The CSG includes prominent seafaring nations such as Greece, Singapore, Denmark, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and South Korea. It marked the group’s first public declaration since its founding more than 60 years ago. Brian Wessel, director-general of the Danish Maritime Authority and chair of the CSG, underlined the increasing erosion of standards overseen by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations body responsible for regulating shipping worldwide.

“For decades, we have built global trade on the assumption that ships can move freely across borders. That assumption is now under pressure,” Wessel said.

Maritime trade remains vital, with over 80 percent of global commerce transported by ships governed under IMO regulations. However, vessels have increasingly become targets and leverage in geopolitical conflicts, with recent attacks on civilian ships involving Russia, Ukraine, the United States, and Iran. The strategic importance of maritime chokepoints has been further highlighted by Iran’s bid to impose fees on transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

At the same time, sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom on Russia and Iran have contributed to the emergence of a shadow fleet comprising more than 1,500 oil tankers, or nearly 20 percent of the global tanker fleet, according to data from TankerTrackers.com. These vessels operate largely outside traditional regulatory frameworks and do not carry insurance.

This summer, the issue came into stark relief when the Caroline Belezza, a shadow fleet ship transporting roughly 800,000 barrels of Russian oil, was struck by a limpet mine off the coast of Oman. Lacking indemnity insurance, the incident could expose the Omani government to significant financial liability for environmental cleanup and related costs.

The CSG’s statement underscores growing concern among maritime powers that the erosion of legal safeguards governing the seas threatens the stability of international shipping and, by extension, the global economy.