The use of open registers by shipping companies is receiving additional focus at present, in part due to the launch of an inquiry last year by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) into so-called “flags of convenience”.
ICS has submitted detailed evidence to the FMC, including its annual Flag State Performance Table, strongly making the point that ‘flags of convenience’ is a pejorative term, not recognised by the global shipping industry or by the United Nations agencies which regulate it.
2 February 2026
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As the first African woman to lead the Commonwealth, Hon. Shirley Botchwey brings a fresh vision to one of the world’s most enduring multilateral institutions.
29 January 2026
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The decision to delay the vote on the IMO’s proposed Net-Zero Framework comes as attitudes towards alternative fuels are shifting, with maritime leaders seeking to become more risk-averse in the current geopolitical climate, according to the ICS Maritime Barometer 2024–2025 survey.
29 January 2026
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The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has released the 2025-2026 Flag State Performance Table, continuing an over 20-year practice of providing an objective, data driven assessment of performance based on criteria such as Port State Control statistics and ratification of International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions.
27 January 2026
Press Release
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) today announces the release of its new Deck Procedures Guide, a vital addition to ICS’s suite of shipboard operational guidance.
This publication addresses a critical gap in maritime safety guidance by providing the industry's first comprehensive resource dedicated specifically to deck operations. Together with the widely used Bridge Procedures Guide and Engine Room Procedures Guide, this new publication completes a trilogy of core resources designed to harmonise best practice across all shipboard departments.
22 January 2026
Press Release
The International Chamber of Shipping condemns the recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. It is wholly unacceptable that seafarers, civilians simply doing their jobs and keeping global trade moving, are being placed in harm’s way.
16 January 2026
Statement
The International Chamber of Shipping's annual ICS Maritime Barometer 2025/2026 survey is currently live. We ask C-Suite professionals across the Maritime industry to participate in the survey and help guide the next year of shipping, sharing perspectives on topics such as existing and emerging fuels, geopolitical risk, public and private funding, and broader operational challenges.
7 January 2026
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Mable Chan, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, speaks to ICS Leadership Insights about Hong Kong’s unique internationalised position, the importance of promoting seafarer welfare and the role of courage, change and collaboration in future success.
15 December 2025
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This October, the widely anticipated Net-Zero Framework vote was delayed by a year, leaving the shipping industry with regulatory uncertainty and questions over next steps.
15 December 2025
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The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) hosted a webinar on ‘Shipping Future Fuels’ on the 9th of December 2025. The Webinar explored how the industry will approach a transition to renewable fuels. These discussions follow the transformative decisions such as the COP30 Belem pledge to quadruple sustainable fuels and the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) postponement of the net-zero framework.
11 December 2025
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