Shipping Registries of Vittmark

The Shipping Registries of Vittmark are records that document the registration of military and merchant vessels within the country. Between 7572 and 7612 Vittmark maintained three separate registries. These days, the vast majority of the Vittmarker merchant fleet operates under a foreign flag of convenience.

History

The need for a unified shipping registry arose with the formation of Vittmark, which was established as a result of the Treaty of Nisipari in 7568 RH. According to the treaty, all member states' registries were to be replaced by a single federal registry within five years. However, the assassination of King Karl av Kulla in 7566 RH caused significant delays in the formation and implementation of federal organizations. After consulting with the signatory nations, the implementation period was extended to 7573 RH.

In 7572 RH, the Lidenish Navy's refusal to transfer to the federal registry and command became a major issue, leading to internal conflicts within the member state. A military takeover in Månstad led to the completion of the transfer before the end of 7573 RH.

In 7574 RH, the Common Tariff was introduced by the Treaty of Ærilar. Vittmark strongly protested against this treaty because it had granted favorable port concessions to all signatory nations but now faced a unilaterally declared common tariff for the passage of several sea straits. In addition to this fundamental objection, Vittmark also argued that neither the federal budget nor the federal tax system would allow for the collection of the tariff from the owners of seagoing vessels. At the height of the diplomatic conflict, Anisora decided to open an international registry for foreign-owned merchant vessels later that year.

Fisks Maritime Registry

The Fisks Maritime Registry was already established after the merchant fleet of Fisks left Stoldavia in 7523 RH. Initially, ships under the Fisks flag were considered piracy vessels. However, with the establishment of a permanent territory for Fisks in the 7550s, the registry gained some acceptance from the international community. The registry was managed by the appointed Alf of the Fisks stim in Carls Nybygge.

In 7570 RH, Fisks joined the Vittmarker federation by free association. One of the conditions for joining was the continuation of its own shipping registry. In 7572 RH, a federal supreme court ruled in favor of Fisks, allowing it to maintain its registry since the Treaty of Nisipari only mentioned member states and territories existing at the time of the formation. Following this ruling, Fjällsta Stift also applied to open its own registry.

All military vessels were required to fly a tongued swallowtail ensign to distinguish them from civilian ships, a rule that also applied to the federal registry. Unlike the federal registry, the Fisks registry was open to foreign-owned and operated vessels. Ships flying the Fisks flag were not bound by the article about port concessions in the Treaty of Nisipari, and they frequently dock in Östervallen, the only large city without a port concession.

During the Wolgos Scourge Vittmark effectively lost control over both the northern and southern Fisks island. The northern island were moved under the custody of Kamura and later occupied by The Bind. The southern islands associated themselves with Shuuen which gained independence during that conflict. As such, the Fisks Maritime Registry de facto was no longer a Vittmarker registry, but still maintained that status on paper for a few years more. The registry was cut loose from Vittmark during the reforms of 7609-7611. It ceased to exist during the late 7620's when the new Sokokan registry was opened and the old vessels slowly were phased out. The last vessels were handed over to International Council of Nations (ICoN)) in order to assist with the Second Wolgos Trek.

Fjällsta Shipping Registry

The Fjällsta Shipping Registry was established after Fjällsta Stift joined Vittmark by free association and applied for its own registry. The federal government reluctantly allowed the registry to open in 7573 RH after it had to accept the Fisks Registry. All seagoing were registered with Nabben as their port of call, since Fjällsta operated an exclave in that port city. All ships also flew the Vittmarker civil flag, typically at the bow, bow mast, or topmast of the ship. The registry was mainly used to bypass the restrictions from the port concessions in the Treaty of Nisipari. But even when Vittmark abandonded that Treaty in 7579, the registry continued because of the bilateral agreements for port concessions that continued. When Fjällsta Stift lost its status as non-territorial member state, the registry was merged into the federal one in 7611.

Federal Maritime Registry of Vittmark

The Federal Maritime Registry of Vittmark (Vittmarks Förbundsregister för Fartyg, VFF) is regulated by the Shipping Registry Law (Lagen om Fartygsregistrering 7665 377). This registry falls under the Department of Development and Infrastructure Authority (Kommunikationsstyrelsen). The federal register was established in 7567 RH, but the transfer of vessel registration from member states was slow. Since 7611 the registry is also open for vessels owned and operated by others than Vittmarker institutions, companies, and persons.

All military vessels fly the Vittmarker ensign with its tongued swallowtail, while the civil ensign is an adaptation of the vertical banner used as an alternative state flag, making identification at sea easier. Even though a display of the flag as form of identification has been replaced by radio completely during the 77th century, this different civil ensign is still in use for the shipping registry.

Even though Vittmark follows an open market type of economy, the registry requirements are a lot more demanding in comparison to developing nations. So in practical terms, many companies tend to register their fleet abroad. Because of this, Vittmark's registry has become more like a quality stamp in the maritime world. This status is now being used as a unique selling point, since Vittmarker vessels get access to almost all international ports and harbors without any lengthy inspections.