Cabotage laws now in force along 85% of world's coastline, research reveals

Cabotage has spread to 105 states around the world, leaving countries such as the UK and Netherlands in a small minority without a legal framework to support domestic maritime jobs.

That's according to new research by Seafarers' Rights International (SRI). The organisation has just updated its seminal 2018 publication Cabotage Laws of the World, with the new edition co-authored by SRI CEO Deirdre Fitzpatrick and Professor Hilton Staniland of Queen Mary, University of London.

The authors found that cabotage has increased in several regions of the world, including West Africa, East Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, Central America, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea; and that cabotage now exists along the coastlines of approximately 85% of the world and extends into more offshore zones.

Prof Staniland observed that the increase in cabotage is part of a movement where nations follow each other's lead: 'No single reason explains the spread of cabotage, but it does appear that when states decide to introduce cabotage, they pay particular attention to the number of states that already have cabotage.'

He added that there have been momentous changes since the first edition of Cabotage Laws of the World seven years ago, when 91 nations had cabotage. 'These changes include Covid-19, geopolitical tensions disrupting shipping; changing trading tariffs, and the emergence of new cabotage trades, routes and activities. Cabotage changes are now occurring almost constantly, driven hard, it appears, by a collection of complex geopolitical issues.'

ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith highlighted the report's finding that cabotage is now the norm around the world. 'The reservation of jobs for national seafarers is a very common requirement,' she noted, 'sometimes requiring that national vessels are wholly crewed by national seafarers.

'Cabotage laws may also provide for minimum wages. And minimum wages may also be required in offshore zones, even though this requirement may not be part of traditional cabotage laws. All this helps to ensure that seafarers get treated decently and shipowners compete fairly.'

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson welcomed the SRI findings, stressing the importance of good research to underpin policymaking.

'At Nautilus International, we are committed to campaigning for policy interventions that support the growth of domestic shipping,' he said. 'Members passed a resolution at our 2023 General Meeting calling for investigations into the possibility of introducing cabotage in the UK.

'Cabotage is one way to achieve the goal of good jobs for domestic seafarers and to support national security and resilience. This important new research lends weight to our argument that the UK and Netherlands should be considering cabotage as a mechanism to support national fleet and skills growth, as an increasing number of other nations already do.'