The International Chamber of Shipping's (ICS) flag state performance table for 2014 has highlighted some flags with "considerable work to do".

ICS urged owners to "think very carefully" about using some smaller flag states which have a number of indicators of poor performance according to its table. Tanzania, land-locked Mongolia, Moldova, Cambodia and Sierra Leone are all listed as particular examples of sub-standard flags.

ICS secretary general, Peter Hinchliffe remarked “The very largest flag states, such as the Bahamas, Liberia and the Marshall Islands, as well as Hong Kong, Singapore, Cyprus and Greece, all continue to demonstrate very impressive levels of performance, as do all of the other large European and Asian flags.”

The table, which is available on the chamber's website, lists each flag state and its compliance with a number of international regulations. ICS noted that a couple of red marks against a flag state need not mean the flag is under-performing, but could simply mean that it adheres to some rules despite not having formally ratified an IMO Convention. "Amongst the 19 largest ships registers, covering more than 85% of the world fleet, none have more than three potential indicators of negative performance," ICS stated.

“One area on which we would like to see more progress by certain flag states, including some of those with otherwise better performance, is with respect to ratification of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC)” said Hinchliffe. “But following the entry into force of the MLC it is now being enforced worldwide through Port State Control and the vast the majority of international shipping companies are operating in compliance, with the exception of the official flag state certification.”