Office PIETH | Shipping governance

Together with Dr Kathrin Betz, Mark Pieth applied his knowledge of international regulation and industry governance to the shipping sector – and they were shocked by what they found.

Their joint book Seefahrtsnation Schweiz: Vom Flaggenzwerg zum Reedereiriesen, published in German in 2022, reveals some of their concerns about shipping industry regulation and Switzerland as a maritime nation.

It covers Switzerland's history in the maritime sector, its attractiveness as a shipping hub, ship financing and construction, labour conditions at sea, shipping's environmental problems, and the human and environmental consequences of bad practices in ship recycling. It also asks whether it's time for Switzerland to address these issues full steam ahead, rather than turn a blind eye.

Subsequent publications, including in English, address better regulation for the shipping industry to ensure labour and environmental standards are upheld in practice and not just on paper.