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Page context: ITF Americas > Flags of Convenience
The ITF defines a ship that flies a Flag of Convenience, or FOC as one that has no "genuine link" between the real shipowner and the flag the vessel flies. An FOC ship is one that flies the flag of a country other than the country of ownership. The beneficial ownership and control of the vessel belong to a different country than that of the flag of the vessel.
The use of FOCs began before the Second World War. The number of FOC registries, otherwise called open registries, increases every year, to the detriment of national merchant fleets. In most cases, FOC countries do not want and/or do not have the ability and power to enforce any minimum safety standards, nor do they respect the labour and trade union rights of workers employed on vessels flying their flag. On the other hand, the crewmembers can do little to protect themselves, having no recourse even to the legislation of their home countries, because the rules that apply on board are those of the country of registration, and, in the FOC case, there are no rules at all.
What are non-domiciled crews?
Non-domiciled crews are those consisting of seafarers of nationalities other than the country’s flag flown by the vessel.
Who represents the seafarers on FOC ships?
In general, most FOC seafarers are not members of a trade union. This is one of the major reasons why unions can be powerless to influence what happens on board. The ITF intervenes to do what one union alone cannot do. For over half a century, it has fought for the elimination of the FOC system and for workers’ rights. It should be said, however, that with a few rare exceptions, the ITF affiliates seafarers' unions only, rather than individual workers.
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The FPC manages the FOC (flags of convenience) campaign policy and oversees ITF minimum collective agreements for seafarers.
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