News

Running up the BLACKFLAG

Many visitors of the Hanse Sail have already recognized it – a little black flag with a white question mark that has been hoisted on most of the sailers. Yet, what is the meaning of it?

The so-called BLACKFLAG is a campaign of the United Committee for Historical Vessels (GSHW), the German lobby for traditional seafaring.

The flag symbolizes the question of procession of traditional seafaring under the current conditions. Reasons for that are the increasing discords of European states and their mutual recognition of national regulations.

These days, ship owners are not sure whether or not they can legally enter the nearest foreign harbor and, therefore, rather sail in their safe home realms. A consequence will be the decline of maritime exchange and the lack of ships on international maritime events.

Europe consolidates more and more on a legal basis – a reliable, coherent regulation for the operation of European traditional ships is still missing, though. With the BLACKFLAG campaign associations, operators and affected people are called to show colors!

More information about the BLACKFLAG campaign under www.blackflag.eu