Despite being a landlocked country, Switzerland’s flag currently flies on thirteen vessels. However, the government aims to increase this number by eliminating some regulatory barriers that have made it difficult to register ships under the Swiss Confederation’s flag. The Federal Council of Bern is taking steps to cancel existing requirements related to headquarters, financing, managerial governance, and crew nationality. This was announced on October 11, 2024, by Swiss lawyer Adriano Sala during the “A Sea of Switzerland” event in Lugano. According to Sala, this deregulation comes at a critical time for maritime transport due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Switzerland's flag offers several advantages to shipowners, including streamlined bureaucracy, legal certainty, mortgage protection, and the country's neutrality. Moreover, Switzerland boasts one of the world's most robust financial and banking systems. Even with just thirteen vessels flying its flag, Switzerland holds a significant position in maritime transport as home to the MSC Group, the global leader in container shipping, and Nova Marine Carriers, one of the top companies in bulk cargo transportation.
On the topic of flags, Ignazio Messina, CEO of the Messina Group, stated at the event that while his ships continue to sail under the Italian flag, the bureaucratic processes in Italy are neither comparable nor competitive with those of other EU flags.
