This had to start with the owner, the flag state, classification society, and the ship manager through to the charterer and the cargo owner.

Information had to be made available on who these parties were, their interests and responsibilities so that the market could be better informed and public awareness of the beneficiaries was increased.

Ways had to be found to recognise quality ship operations and possibly reward them commercially.

Pressure had to be maintained on finding a solution to the problem of flag states that did not carry out their responsibilities.

Mr Morris said that consistency in port state control had to remain an objective that could be facilitated through the development of regional groupings of port state control authorities.

'Finally, priority must be given to ending the inhumane treatment of crew members,' he said.

The recent meeting of the seamen's committee of the Asian Shipowners Forum in Ho Chi Minh City expressed concern about the global interpretation of the International Maritime Organisation's minimum wage.

It was agreed that this issue should be delegated to the International Labour Organisation's minimum wages working group for discussion.

It was the prerogative of employers and unions in each flag state to agree on interpretations that applied to crews employed on their ships.

Mr Morris said quality ship operators were at a significant disadvantage compared with substandard shipping operators, who had a 14 to 15 per cent cost-saving.

Substandard shipping practices could thrive because of the international shipping industry's penchant for secrecy of operations.

'Port state control authorities will never have the resources to inspect every ship at every movement,' he said.

Mr Morris, who is also chairman of the Australian parliamentary Ships of Shame Committee and a former Australian minister of transport, said he had accepted the task of chairing an international commission to address the issue of compliance.

The commission was proposed at the Mare Forum in Amsterdam in June.

Mr Morris will be assisted by fellow commissioners James Bell, the chief executive of the International Association of Classification Societies, and Professor Moritaka Hayashi of the law school of Waseda University of Tokyo.

The commission will investigate and appraise the approaches used by governments, industry and interested parties to achieve compliance with international minimum safety, environmental and social requirements.

It also will examine international law, especially the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea, and recommend an appropriate strategy for compliance and enforcement.