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*HOBSON: ST. KITTS-NEVIS HAS LEGAL RIGHT TO FLY ITS FLAG DESPITE BLACK SEA BOMBING—BUT LACK OF NATIONAL STRATEGY COSTING MILLIONS*
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Former Marine Affairs Director says critics misunderstand international maritime law, warns country is surrendering major revenue opportunity through weak control of its ship registry
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — Former Director of Marine Affairs and one of the founding pioneers of the St. Kitts and Nevis Ship Registry, McClean Hobson, has issued a firm, legally grounded defence of the Federation’s right to operate an international ship registry, following public criticism sparked by the bombing of a St. Kitts and Nevis–flagged vessel in the Black Sea.

In a detailed commentary, Hobson dismantled claims that the incident somehow invalidates or discredits St. Kitts and Nevis’ status as a flag state, describing such arguments as a fundamental misunderstanding of international maritime law, global trade norms, and the responsibilities of ship owners versus flag administrations.

UNCLOS CONFERS CLEAR LEGAL AUTHORITY

Hobson grounded his argument squarely in international law, noting that St. Kitts and Nevis is a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Under Article 91, sovereign states are explicitly entitled to grant nationality to ships, register vessels, and allow them to fly their flag.

“St. Kitts and Nevis has earned the right to be a flag state,” Hobson asserted, emphasising that there are no provisions under UNCLOS that prohibit a country from participating in global maritime trade or operating an open ship registry.

According to Hobson, criticism aimed at the Federation for merely being a flag state ignores the universally accepted structure of international shipping, where thousands of vessels worldwide operate under open or international registries far from their owners’ home countries.

HOW OPEN REGISTRIES ACTUALLY WORK

Hobson explained that St. Kitts and Nevis operates an Open or International Ship Registry, meaning it is accessible to ship owners from all regions of the world—provided vessels meet the safety, security, and regulatory standards established under the country’s Merchant Shipping Legislation.

Crucially, he stressed that ships registered under the St. Kitts and Nevis flag are not restricted to specific trading routes.

“There are ships on the registry operating all around the globe,” Hobson noted, including high-risk regions such as the Black Sea. This, he explained, is standard practice across the international maritime industry.

TRADING ROUTES ARE THE OWNER’S RESPONSIBILITY

Addressing the specific case of the Wael K, the St. Kitts and Nevis–flagged vessel bombed while en route to the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk, Hobson was unequivocal: the responsibility for trading in high-risk areas rests with ship owners, not the flag state.

Under accepted maritime practice, ship owners and captains are required to conduct comprehensive risk assessments before entering conflict zones and to implement appropriate risk mitigation measures.

“If this was not done, there is absolutely nothing the flag state can do,” Hobson stated bluntly.

While flag administrations may issue advisories highlighting high-risk trading areas, Hobson explained that they do not possess the authority to dictate or prohibit where a ship trades, nor are they obligated to force owners to avoid particular regions.

To suggest otherwise, he argued, reflects a deep misunderstanding of how international shipping governance operates.

THE REAL ISSUE: MISSED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

While firmly defending the country’s legal right to operate a ship registry, Hobson pivoted sharply to what he described as the real scandal: St. Kitts and Nevis’ failure to fully control, develop, and monetise its own maritime registry.

Despite repeated pronouncements by Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew over nearly four years about economic diversification, Hobson said ship registration—an industry capable of generating millions in sustainable revenue—has received little to no public policy focus.

“At a time when revenue shortfalls from the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme are becoming more pronounced, ship registration has the potential to serve as a meaningful alternative,” Hobson argued.

Instead, he lamented, while millions have been generated from vessels flying the St. Kitts and Nevis flag, the Federation continues to receive “crumbs,” with the bulk of financial benefits flowing to overseas partners rather than the national treasury.

CALL FOR A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL STRATEGY

Hobson concluded by calling for a comprehensive, nationally controlled plan to manage and expand the ship registry—one that maximises revenue, strengthens regulatory oversight, and positions St. Kitts and Nevis as a serious maritime jurisdiction rather than a passive flag of convenience.

The bombing of a vessel, he argued, should not be weaponised to undermine the country’s legal rights. Instead, it should serve as a catalyst for a sober, informed discussion about sovereignty, international law, and untapped economic potential in an era where diversification is no longer optional but essential.

In Hobson’s view, the question is no longer whether St. Kitts and Nevis has the right to operate a ship registry—it unquestionably does—but whether its leaders are prepared to take full ownership of an asset that could reshape the country’s economic future.
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