Published on 6 January 2025

Who are we?

The founding of the Swiss Maritime Navigation Office (SMNO) dates back to the Second World War, a period when Switzerland faced increasingly severe supply shortages. To secure the nation's supply lines during challenging times, the Federal Council enacted emergency legislation in April 1941, creating the Swiss high seas flag. The SMNO was entrusted with direct oversight of this new maritime initiative.

The SMNO is part of the Directorate of International Law (DIL) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). Since its inception, the SMNO has been based in Basel, where an important shipping cluster has developed thanks to Rhine navigation. Basel is also the home port of all commercial seagoing vessels, yachts, coastal boats and Rhine vessels sailing under the Swiss flag.

The SMNO has a wide range of responsibilities, from supporting seafarers and shipping companies to issuing flag certificates for yachts and confirmations of flag registration for coastal boats, while also maintaining the corresponding register and representing Switzerland in numerous international organisations in the field of maritime and inland navigation.

• Flag state authority

  As the competent flag state authority, the SMNO is responsible for the supervision of commercial seagoing vessels flying the Swiss flag, their operators and crews as well as sport and leisure craft (yachts and coastal boats) at sea.

• Register

  The SMNO maintains the register of Swiss yachts and keeps records of coastal boats authorised and required to fly the Swiss flag. Whereas, the Land Registry and Survey Office of the Canton of Basel-Stadt maintains the register for commercial seagoing and Rhine vessels.

• International representation

  The SMNO represents Switzerland's interests at the international level in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Kingston, Jamaica, and at the European level in the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR) in Strasbourg, the European Committee for Drawing up Standards in the Field of Inland Navigation (CESNI), and in matters related to the Convention on the Collection, Deposit and Reception of Waste Produced during Navigation on the Rhine and Inland Waterways (CDNI).

  International organisations

  European inland navigation

The Federal Council's adoption of the Maritime Strategy on 2 June 2023 heralded a new era for Swiss maritime shipping. The SMNO is to become a modern, digital and customer-oriented office.

Maritime strategy

Links

• International organisations
• European inland navigation
• Maritime strategy