Introduction: ‘…In an ideal world flag States, whose flags are worn by the world’s shipping, would lay down, and enforce upon their shipowners, standards of design, maintenance and operation which would ensure a very high standard of safety at sea. Coastal States, along whose coasts shipping passes, and Port States, at whose ports or anchorages shipping calls, would have no cause to concern themselves with the maintenance of such standards. The present system of Flag State Control falls well short of this ideal … Regrettably it is beyond argument that not all flag States live up to their responsibilities…’