The Fragmentation of Global Knowledge Regional Optics of the Shadow Fleet
Abstract
This article analyzes the divergence between European and Asian academic discourses regarding the so-called "shadow fleet." The author demonstrates that the same empirical object, vessels transporting cargo from countries under significant economic pressure, receives fundamentally different interpretations depending on the region where the research is conducted. European and Ukrainian scholarship is primarily built around stigmatization, focusing, predominantly, on deviance and operational risks. In contrast, Singaporean and Indian studies adopt an approach based on the technical regulations of the IMO, explicitly avoiding moral condemnation within their research lens. Drawing on industry reports, AIS data, and port state control records, the author substantiates the thesis of a systemic fragmentation of global knowledge. This epistemic rift cannot be reduced to a mere lack of coordination; rather, it is deeply rooted in institutional structures, funding mechanisms, and geopolitical expectations.
Keywords
Shadow fleet, fragmentation of knowledge, regional optics, IMO, stigmatization, pragmatic legalism, maritime law, AIS, epistemic rift
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