Paris MoU confirms Liberia as best-performing major ship registry

Liberia has been confirmed as the best-performing major ship registry worldwide over the last three years in the latest statistics from the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control.

The Paris MoU statistics confirm that Liberia had the best detention rate during the last three years of those registries with more than 100,000 gt of shipping under their flag. Liberia’s detention rate was 2.03 per cent, based on 82 detentions arising from 4,046 inspections. This positions it well ahead of the Marshall Islands, which had a detention rate of 2.50 per cent based on 63 detentions of 2,521 vessels inspected. Panama was in third place, with a detention rate of 4.89 per cent, resulting from 305 detentions out of 6,238 inspections.

Liberia also recently received its QUALSHIP (Quality Shipping for the 21st Century) certification for 2014 from the United States Coast Guard. Only a small percentage of foreign-flag ships calling at US ports are admitted to the QUALSHIP programme, based on the excellence of their port state control record. Designated ships are recognised and rewarded by the USCG for their commitment to safety and quality. The USCG has congratulated the Liberian Registry on its “exceptional commitment to quality”, and highlighted its “excellent” detention ratio.

Scott Bergeron, CEO of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, says, “Liberia is committed to keeping its fleet of ships, the second largest in the world, operating efficiently and on schedule. Time is money. Moreover, it is encouraging to see that Liberia’s proactive approach to safety and regulatory compliance continues to receive independent endorsement in the form of its presence on the White Lists of all Port State Control Memorandums of Understanding worldwide, its confirmation of QUALSHIP certification, and its excellent detention record.”

The Liberian Registry is one of the world’s largest and most active shipping registers, and has long been considered the world’s most technologically advanced maritime administration. It has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards of safety for vessels and crews with the highest levels of responsive service to owners. www.liscr.com