Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry chief executive Scott Bergeron is claiming that the flag’s harshest critic is finally turning into an admirer.

The Liberian flag is on the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)'s list of flag-of-convenience (FOC) registries, so its ships are subject to the union’s boycott.

But, in what appears to be a softening of the ITF’s position, Bergeron was invited to the union's London headquarters to attend a presentation on its co-operation with the International Maritime Employers’ Council.