Summary of the report
Kyrgyzstan informed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that no company or private person is currently authorized to register or operate sea-going vessels under the republic’s flag. This was stated in a circular sent to all IMO member states.
The document says the Kyrgyz state has not issued permissions for the registration, representation, operation, or use of sea-going vessels under the Kyrgyz flag. In such a case, any such actions must be considered unauthorized and have no legal consequences for the country.
Key facts
- The message is dated July 30 and was circulated by IMO on August 18.
- Kyrgyzstan became the 176th IMO member in February 2024.
- Despite this, Kyrgyzstan’s government had previously been actively moving toward creating its own flag and ship registry.
- Earlier this year, President Sadyr Japarov signed the New Maritime Code.
- The code establishes a framework for an international ship registry and provides that the port of registration must be Bishkek, which is indicated on the stern of the ship.
- The code is to enter into force six months after publication.
Additional context
According to local media, in April the national registry operator of the Kyrgyz Republic was identified as the private company Maritime Register, which was to be tasked with registering vessels, certifying them, and monitoring compliance with international standards. The available materials do not specify whether it remains the responsible operator.
Kyrgyzstan is not the only landlocked country attempting to create a maritime flag registry: Mongolia has been running one for many years and joined IMO in 1996, and San Marino opened a registry for international shipowners in 2021.
