A new study has unveiled the owners of all refrigerated cargo vessels involved in seafood transshipment, marking a significant step toward improved traceability and sustainability in the global seafood industry.
In a landmark discovery poised to transform the global seafood industry, researchers have identified the key players behind the world’s refrigerated cargo vessels, or reefers, in a study published in the journal Science Advances. This breakthrough promises enhanced transparency and accountability in seafood supply chains, tackling long-standing issues of illegal fishing and opaque practices.
Fish “taxies” — refrigerated cargo vessels that function as mobile ports for fishing boats — have long been viewed as the murky middlemen in the seafood supply chain.
However, the new research illuminates the ownership, flag states and operational networks of these reefers for the first time, bringing unprecedented clarity to the industry’s dark corners.
“This is a major step for more transparency,” lead author Frida Bengtsson, a doctoral candidate at Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University, said in a news release.
Reefers play a crucial role in the seafood sector, with nearly a third of the global tuna catch — worth a staggering $10.4 billion — being transshipped annually.
Transshipment, which includes transferring catches, people, spare parts and fuel between vessels, has often been criticized for facilitating illegal activities and obscuring the origins of seafood.
Advancements in satellite data collection have allowed researchers and the public to monitor where vessels operate. Despite this, the true ownership of the reefers remained a mystery until now.
“Understanding who the beneficial owner of a vessel is provides new leverage and opportunity for improved governance and oversight of this practice,” Bengtsson added.
The study, a collaborative effort among researchers from the Stockholm Resilience Centre, the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and the University of British Columbia, identified 569 reefers and their 324 beneficial owners. Countries like China, Russia and Greece emerged as significant players in this ecosystem.
Notably, 10 of these owners are responsible for nearly a quarter of all global transshipment events.
“[T]his is a surprisingly low and very manageable number of actors,” according to Bengtsson.
“If we work with these key actors and get them to improve their operations, we could quickly improve the traceability and sustainability of seafood,” she concluded.
The comprehensive data on the reefers — including their operational areas, the fishing gear used and the flags they fly — is now freely accessible through an online tool. This unprecedented access to information can empower NGOs, insurance companies and financial institutions to drive sustainability at sea.
This study represents a pivotal moment for the global seafood industry, offering a path to greater transparency and accountability. By collaborating with the identified key actors, stakeholders can foster more sustainable practices, ultimately safeguarding ocean ecosystems and consumer trust alike.