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A group representing 18 major shipping nations is warning that growing geopolitical tensions, unilateral trade measures and the expansion of the shadow fleet are threatening the rules-based maritime system that underpins global trade.
The Consultative Shipping Group (CSG), whose members span Europe, Asia and North America, issued a public statement Monday calling for stronger international cooperation to protect freedom of navigation and maintain a level playing field for shipping.
The group said recent disruptions — including the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's war in Ukraine, drought restrictions at the Panama Canal and conflict in the Middle East — have exposed the vulnerability of maritime supply chains.
Those pressures are increasingly being compounded by geopolitical fragmentation and discriminatory trade measures, according to the CSG.
"Global shipping works best when rules are clear and consistent around the world," the group said. "Fragmentation in rules leads directly to fragmentation in markets and ultimately to higher costs for businesses and consumers."
The warning comes as shipping faces heightened geopolitical risks at some of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, most notably the Strait of Hormuz.
The CSG pointed directly to the disruption in Hormuz as an example of what can happen when freedom of navigation breaks down.
"As the closure of the Strait of Hormuz demonstrates: When shipping supply chains fragment, the global economy fragments with it," the group said.
More than 80% of global trade is transported by sea, making freedom of navigation a critical component of global food and energy security as well as the broader economy.
The group also raised concerns about the continued growth of the so-called shadow fleet — hundreds of vessels used to circumvent sanctions while often operating outside conventional insurance, safety and transparency frameworks.
According to the CSG, the expansion of those fleets is creating a parallel shipping system that bypasses established environmental and safety standards and undermines confidence in maritime markets.
"The result is a two-tier system, one governed by rules, the other by opacity, ultimately weakening both," the statement said.
Rather than responding with additional layers of regulation or a patchwork of unilateral measures, the CSG argued that governments should focus on consistent enforcement of existing international rules.
The group highlighted the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, as the legal foundation for activities at sea, including innocent passage and transit passage, while describing the International Maritime Organization as the central forum for developing global shipping standards.
Universal application of those rules, the group said, gives shipping companies the predictability needed to plan investments and operate internationally while ensuring competition is based on efficiency, innovation and quality rather than regulatory avoidance.
The CSG called for more consistent enforcement across jurisdictions, greater transparency and information sharing between authorities, and continued political support for common international maritime standards.
"Strong international cooperation is not a constraint on sovereignty; it is a prerequisite for effective governance in an interconnected world," the group said.
The Consultative Shipping Group is an informal forum bringing together maritime authorities from 18 major shipping nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The group said its members remain committed to defending freedom of navigation and preventing geopolitical and regulatory fragmentation from becoming embedded in global shipping.
"Sovereignty and resilience depend on cooperation, coordination and practical problem-solving among trusted partners in the world's maritime supply chains," the CSG said.
