Cross trade

Cross trade is carriage between two countries where neither is the flag state or the home country of the shipowner or operator. A Greek-owned, Liberian-flag bulker lifting Brazilian iron ore to China is in cross trade; the cargo never touches the owner’s or flag’s jurisdiction. Most deep-sea tramp shipping is cross trade, which is why open registries and competitive third-country operators dominate the bulk and tanker markets. The term distinguishes this from national or cabotage trades that are reserved to a country’s own flag.