Switzerland Wants to Attract Shipowners for Its Maritime Flag

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) of Switzerland has announced the development of a new maritime strategy to make the Swiss flag more attractive to national and international shipowners. This spring, a project will be presented in Bern to review the current legislation and modernize Swiss maritime law.

The Swiss flag was created on April 9, 1941, during World War II, to ensure the importation and supply of raw materials and not depend on third countries. In 2017, the Swiss-flagged merchant fleet amounted to nearly 50 ships from six shipowners. Today, there are only 14 ships from two shipping companies: one based in Zurich and the other in Morges, on the shores of Lake Geneva, near Lausanne.

While in 1967 there were 611 Swiss officers and sailors on board, now they are very few. According to the FDFA registry, “There are still two deck officers and one cadet of Swiss nationality sailing on Swiss-flagged vessels.” Three officers work on foreign-flagged ships with a Swiss competency certificate or a recognized foreign certificate.

The Federal Office of Maritime Navigation still has its headquarters in Basel, and its head holds the rank of ambassador. Supplying Switzerland through the port of Rotterdam and then along the Rhine to Basel—whether with Swiss-flagged freighters or those of other nationalities—remains as important as ever.

Jean-Noël André, CEO of the shipping company Suisse Atlantique (Suisat), states that “having a national flag is a political decision. It is linked to a maritime strategy. The flag must be able to represent the specific values of Switzerland, but it must also be competitive and attractive enough for shipowners to transfer their vessels to this flag.”

Photos: provided