Bob Bishop CEO, V.Ships Ship Management has set about the UK MCA in a letter discussing the merits of the Red Ensign to the Daily Telegraph.
His letter read, “SIR – While I support Rear Admiral John Lang’s enthusiasm for the Red Ensign (Letters, July 27), I do not share his concerns about flags of convenience.
To my knowledge, the earliest experience of a flag of convenience were Scots vessels getting around the English Navigation Act – by hoisting an English flag on arrival off American colonies to load tobacco, and replacing it on departure.
 Today, the French, due to their commitment to their flagged tonnage, give good protection from piracy off Somalia, while the Maltese flag is better for ships trading between Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.
However, when a master and a mate from a British-certificated ship were detained in South Korea for over 500 days, including periods in jail, Britain’s Marine Coastguard Agency did nothing to help.
Bob Bishop
CEO, V.Ships Ship Management
Glasgow”
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