flag states

UK Ship Register to expand, more shipowners under the UK flag

The UK Chamber applauds UK Ship Register’s (UKSR) changes, according to which owners from a broader group of countries will be able to register their vessels in the UK. UKSR announced its decision on expanding its ownership eligibility, enabling more shipping companies from around the globe to flag to the UK.

According to the register, the criteria has been widened beyond the current areas of the UK and Europe to include Commonwealth countries and bring the UK in line with our Red Ensign Group...

https://safety4sea.com/uk-ship-register-to-expand-more-shipowners-under-the-uk-flag/

58% of flag states could be removed from STCW White List

IMO’s Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping (HTW 6), held from 29 April to 3 May, considered matters relating to the list of STCW Parties (“White List”) and its review, as required by the STCW Convention. The Sub-committee found that the white list of top-rated flag states would be decimated if requirements to report information were strictly enforced.

IMO holds a ‘White List’ containing countries who have confirmed to the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) to be following...

https://safety4sea.com/58-of-flag-states-could-be-removed-from-stcw-white-list/

USCG: Flag administration safety and security performance 2018

In its annual PSC report for 2018, the US Coast Guard informed that the flag administration safety performance for 2018 decreased slightly with the overall annual detention rate increasing from 0.98% to 1.16%, while flag administration security performance for 2018 decreased slightly resulting in the annual Control Action Ratio (CAR) increasing from 0.06% to 0.09%.

Flag administration safety performance

USCG targets Flag Administrations for additional PSC examinations if their detention ratio...

https://safety4sea.com/uscg-flag-administration-safety-and-security-performance-2018/

Liberian flag added to USCG QUALSHIP 21

The US Coast Guard has included the Liberian flag in its QUALSHIP 21 (QS21) roster for 2019-2020. QS21 recognizes vessels and flag states which have successfully met specified safety and quality requirements and regulations when calling at ports in the US.

To qualify for QS21, flag administrations must have a three-year PSC detention ratio of less than 1.00% and be credited with 10+ PSC exams per year for the last three years.

Liberia and 8 other maritime nations were all new additions to the...

https://safety4sea.com/liberian-flag-added-to-uscg-qualship-21/

Why Cyprus has a strong maritime presence

Cyprus has seen merchant shipping developing rapidly over the last decades, ranking the country amongst the main maritime powers of the world with the 11th largest fleet globally and the 3rd largest fleet in Europe.

In an official announcement, Cyprus Maritime cited the key reasons why Cyprus constitutes a global maritime cluster:

  • As a third-party ship management centre, Cyprus is the largest in Europe and amongst the top 3 worldwide. More than 20% of the worlds’ third party management fleet is...

https://safety4sea.com/why-cyprus-has-a-strong-maritime-presence/

P&O ferries re-flags two vessels to Cyprus ahead Brexit

British ferry operator P&O announced it will re-flag two of its vessels to keep European Union tax arrangements ahead Brexit. The company is reviewing all of its UK-registered fleet.

A P&O spokesman told Reuters that two of its UK ships operating on the English Channel route to France would be re-flagged to Cyprus, in a bid to preserve the tonnage tax financing arrangements, ‘under which the ships should remain flagged in an EU member state‘.

The spokesman added that P&O was reviewing the flag...

https://safety4sea.com/po-ferries-re-flags-two-vessels-to-cyprus-ahead-brexit/

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