Federal Council aims to strengthen Swiss maritime shipping
Bern, 27.05.2026 — The Federal Council adopted a reform package to strengthen Swiss maritime shipping at its meeting on 27 May 2026. The measures aim to make the Swiss flag more attractive at sea and to simplify the registration of vessels. The bill is part of the comprehensive revision of maritime legislation under the Federal Council's maritime strategy and its ‘package to boost the Swiss economy's competitiveness’.
The Federal Council aims to create an attractive, competitive and service-oriented high-quality flag with a reliable regulatory framework. It previously lifted various restrictive registration requirements at ordinance level in an initial step in 2025. Further amendments will now follow.
Amendment of the Navigation Act
In its dispatch of 12 November 2025 on the amendment of the National Economic Supply Act, the Federal Council submitted a proposal to Parliament under which ocean-going tonnage flying the Swiss flag would no longer be backed by federal guarantees as this does not create sufficient added value in terms of national economic supply. No new guarantees have been provided since the end of 2016.
The Federal Council has now submitted a proposal to Parliament on the repeal of now obsolete provisions of the Federal Act on Navigation under the Swiss Flag which once helped to secure national economic supply and to protect the Swiss Confederation's financial interests. In particular, these provisions include minimum capital requirements, extended auditing obligations and red tape when leaving the Swiss flag. The Federal Council does not believe these special regulations are justified now without the previous federal guarantees. Their repeal aims to ease the regulatory burden on companies in the sector and is part of the Federal Council's ‘package to boost the Swiss economy's competitiveness’.
Amendment of the Navigation Ordinance
A key amendment at ordinance level concerns the requirements on flying the Swiss flag at sea. Only ocean-going vessels that are both owned by Swiss companies and operated by Swiss shipping firms can currently fly the Swiss flag. In future, a Swiss shipping firm will be able to fly the Swiss flag even if the company that owns the vessel is based abroad. The aim is to facilitate modern financing models, in particular leasing and bank financing transactions by foreign partners. It will also provide greater flexibility for Swiss shipping firms in terms of how they structure their international business models.
The reform also takes account of the digitalisation of international trade. It expressly states that the main bill of lading for maritime shipping (sea waybill issued as a document of title) can also be managed as an electronic document of title. The Federal Council is taking this step to establish legal clarity and to promote the digitalisation of maritime trade and transport processes.
The amendment to the Navigation Ordinance enters into force on 1 July 2026. Together with the dispatch on the amendment of the Navigation Act, they represent another step towards modernising Swiss maritime legislation. Further amendments are already at drafting stage.
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