Flags of Convenience Pose New Danger With “Floating Armories”

A new threat posed by “flags of convenience” vessels surfaced recently with news that floating armories – ships carrying military weapons and ammunition – are proliferating at an alarming rate.

According to Omega Research Foundation, a UK-based think tank, at least a third of the 33 vessels recently discovered sail under the flag of landlocked and blacklisted Mongolia.

Researchers say the ships are operating in international waters with a “worrying lack” of regulation, adding that they could pose a threat to regional peace and stability.

With no oversight by the International Maritime Organization, or any presence on the national registries, it appears likely that more vessels will be “flagged out” to nations blacklisted for low maritime safety compliance.

It is somewhat ironic, say analysts, that the armories were set up to supply private security guards employed to protect shipping from pirates, particularly off the East African coast.

But without any oversight, there now exists an urgent need for an international agreement to set minimum standards.

Even more alarming is the fact that none of the vessels used as floating armories have been purpose-built for this utility. Instead, they are adapted craft. As a consequence, ships may not have even the most minimal standards in place for secure storage of its deadly cargo.

The report concludes that absent any agency governance, arms dealers will continue to exploit rogue nations to provide cover for these unclassified cargo ships.

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