FLAG STATE CONTROL AND PORT STATE CONTROL: CONFLICTING OR COMPLEMENTARY BED-FELLOWS IN THE MAINTENANCE OF STANDARD SHIPPING BUSINESS

Abstract

The  sea  has  always  been  an  indispensablepotentially  hazardous  and  dangerous  working  environment  subjecting mariners to all sorts of perils like storm, fog, ice and heat. The unpredictability of sea voyage with the imprecise and mechanical  nature  of  ships  had  made  maritime  navigation  across  the globe  a  herculean  task.  Prior  to  the  days of aircraft,  sea  trade  by  ship  constituted  the  only  means  of  conveyance  of  persons  and  goods  between  the  colonialist and  the  colony.  Today,  with  industrial  revolution;  population  explosion  and  urbanization  including  technological advancement has increasingly affected trade and commerce in a greater dimension. It is no longer an activity that the  British  organized  largely  for  their  own  benefit  for  the  shipping  of  produce  out  of  Nigeria  and  shipping  of finished  products  back  to  Nigeria.  Shipping  business  is  of  enormous  importance  to  the  economic  wellbeing  of  the shipping nations. Maritime transport can be perceived as all initiatives and activities put together to ensure the ease of movement of goods and people from land to water through the ports. Flag state control and port state control has therefore emerged to ensure the protection of ships from the vagaries of nature or from acts that are inimical to the safety  of  maritime  navigation.  The  doctrinal  method  was  adopted,  while  primary  and  secondary  materials complemented the research. It was discovered that port state control plays vital roles as well as flag states, but does not in any way conflict or impinge on the functions of duties of the flag states on their ships of origin