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Thursday 26 July 2018

Liberia the fastest growing flag in shipping and offshore

Liberia is the fastest growing major open registry in 2018 in both the shipping and offshore sectors, according to leading shipping services provider Clarksons in its Clarksons World Fleet Monitor June 2018.

Alfonso Castillero, CCO of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, says, “I am delighted to see that Liberia continues to be the leading flag in 2018. It has grown by 2.2 percent in terms of gross tonnage overall so far this year, while Panama showed negative numbers and the Marshall Islands growth of just 1.7 percent.

“The market recognizes that Liberia has improved its services and invested in technology to make the lives of its clients easier without increasing its fees. This is in stark contrast to our competitors, who have put into place steep fee increases and added costs, without significant forms of savings for owners, despite the difficult market conditions.

“Despite high scrapping volumes in recent years, the Liberian Registry has shown significant growth while maintaining a reputation for the highest standards of safety and responsiveness.

“Liberia continues to live up to its commitment to helping shipowners navigate what are – despite certain recent positive improvements - still very difficult market conditions. The Liberian Registry responds quickly to issues involving owners, and in many instances anticipates difficulties before they arise. In this way, it helps keep Liberian-flag ships moving efficiently and safely along global trade routes.”

In the offshore sector, meanwhile, Liberian-flag fleet growth has peaked at 8.2 percent so far in 2018, compared to the figures for Panama (down by 1.8 percent), the Marshall Islands (up by only 2.6 percent), and the Bahamas (up by only 2.0 percent). Alfonso Castillero says, “The first half of 2018 has shown what a strong presence the Liberian flag has in the offshore sector, with an increase in market share three times that of the next major open registry. This is due in no small measure to the strong fundamental understanding by the registry’s staff – many of whom have practical experience of the offshore industry - of the problems facing this fluctuating sector.”


The Liberian Registry has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards of safety for vessels and crews with the highest levels of responsive and innovative service to owners. Moreover, it has a well-deserved reputation for supporting international legislation designed to maintain and improve the safety and effectiveness of the shipping industry and protection of the marine environment. www.liscr.com




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Monday 16 July 2018

Liberia adopts law amendments in line with new ship finance environment

The Republic of Liberia has responded to the needs of shipowners and the ship financing and legal community by amending Liberian maritime law to allow lease financing structures to be recorded as mortgages. As a result, Liberia is the only flag state with preferred status in China able to record financing charters.

The advantages offered to the shipping industry by Liberia as a result of the changes made to the country’s maritime law are by no means limited to leasing houses in China, but rather are available to all stakeholders, worldwide. Lease structures for ship financing are, however, increasing in popularity in Asia, in particular, and the inability to record a financing charter to perfect security hinders access to this kind of financing.

With that in mind, the Liberian Government has introduced amendments to provide for the recordation of financing charters similar to ship mortgages. In addition, the amendments to Liberian maritime law clarify that it is not necessary for evidence of mortgage debt to be provided or recorded together with mortgage instruments. They also make provision for a definitive definition of the term ‘vessel’ under Liberian law that includes permanently moored watercraft. Moreover, the amendments embrace several other administrative improvements such as a reduction in the number of original mortgage instruments required to record a Liberian mortgage and clarifications related to the physical marking of the vessel.

Scott Bergeron, CEO of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, says, “The recent legislative initiative by the Republic of Liberia to amend its maritime law is yet another example of Liberia identifying the needs of shipowners and operators as well as those of their ship financing and legal advisers.

“The Liberian Registry has experienced tremendous growth in Asia over a number of years. Most recently, that growth has accelerated following enactment of the historic Agreement on Maritime Transport between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of Liberia, under which Liberian-flag vessels are charged a preferential rate for tonnage dues when visiting any port in China. The added ability to record a financing charter as a mortgage enshrined in the recent maritime law amendments will strengthen still further the high level of mutually beneficial co-operation which exists between Liberia and its Chinese partners.”

The text of the Liberian maritime law amendment is available on the Liberian Registry’s website at www.liscr.com/liberian-maritime-law. Queries regarding the amendments should be addressed to legal@ycfmaritime.com


The Liberian Registry has a long-established track record of combining the highest standards of safety for vessels and crews with the highest levels of responsive and innovative service to owners. Moreover, it has a well-deserved reputation for supporting international legislation designed to maintain and improve the safety and effectiveness of the shipping industry and protection of the marine environment. www.liscr.com

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Wednesday 11 July 2018

Multraship continues to build on diverse fleet in ultra-competitive market

Leading towage and salvage specialist Multraship is continuing to build up its marine service provider capacity and rapid response capability with a number of new additions to its varied fleet of vessels.

On 7 July, the 453-gt Fire-Fighting tug Multratug 31 was christened at Terneuzen in the Netherlands. The 83-ton bollard-pull vessel was delivered in 2017, and Multraship managing director Leendert Muller says, “We are operating in a highly competitive market, employing all our resources across a wide range of different sectors. Indeed, we have been so busy that even our christenings are a little behindhand.”

In April, Multraship acquired a 50-ton bollard-pull ASD tug from a Turkish shipbuilder for its Terneuzen harbour operations. This vessel, which has been named Multratug 9, replaces a 33-ton bollard-pull vessel of the same name which is no longer operational for harbour duties and which will now be put up for sale.

Last month, the Fire-Fighting tug Multratug 7 was christened at Terneuzen. The 62-ton bollard-pull vessel was built by Damen in Romania and delivered to Multraship at the end of last year.

Two new DSV / salvage craft have also joined the Multraship fleet recently. Multrasalvor 5 (former Sara Maatje VIII) was acquired at the beginning of this year, joining Multrasalvor 4 (former Vos Shelter) which was bought in 2017.

There is also a new Multratug 29 in the fleet, with the 2015-built tug of that name having been sold to the Shetland Islands government and replaced recently by a 2018 Damen-built vessel with a higher bollard pull of 86 tons. Meanwhile, the 75-ton bollard-pull AHT /ASD tug Multratug 28 has replaced Multratug 30.

Earlier this year, Multraship took delivery of Multratug 32, the first of two game-changing CARROUSEL RAVE TUGs (CRT) Model L which will make it easier, safer and more environmentally friendly to work with seagoing vessels at much higher speeds than those at which conventional tugs can safely operate, and without the risk of capsizing under a tow-load.The contract for the vessels was agreed between Novatug, an innovation arm of the group to which Multraship also belongs, and Damen’s specialist propulsion subsidiary Van der Velden Barkemeyer GmbH in November 2015. German shipyard Theodor Buschmann GmbH in Hamburg assembled the hulls, which were then moved to Stellendam for fitting-out by Damen, which recently delivered Multratug 33, a second, identical CRT for Novatug. Novatug also plans to market smaller versions of the CRT.

Multraship and Novatug, meanwhile, have been nominated for the Maritime KVNR Shipping Award 2018 for “their combination of successful realization and implementation with a vision for the future that goes beyond their own company.” The winner of the award will be announced in November this year.

Finally, Multraship last month christened two Damen Stan Launch 804s, VB2 and Montis 5. The new launches will be operated by Multraship subsidiaries Montis Mooring Boatservice BV and Verenigde Bootlieden BV and will replace former vessels of the same name which are to be sold to Poland.

Leendert Muller says, “The sectors in which Multraship operates are constantly evolving. We cannot afford to stand still. The market is so volatile, and continues to change, giving rise to demand for new and better services. Multraship is committed to investing in order to compete and, where appropriate, to working alongside other competitors in the best interests of its clients. The market is highly competitive, in Europe and the North Sea and elsewhere, and Multraship has positioned itself as a quality marine service provider able to operate across a wide range of sectors, including harbour / terminal and sea towage, salvage, offshore / renewable energy projects and port services. It will continue to invest in quality and safety and will evolve in line with the demands and requirements of its growing customer-base.”


Multraship is a leading Dutch towage and salvage company. It is a division of the Muller Maritime Group, which has been engaged in the shipping industry for more than 230 years. The company's core activities include harbour towage, salvage & wreck removal, ocean towage and support to offshore energy & dredging industries. Multraship operates and manages a large fleet of tugs, salvage vessels, floating sheerlegs and other craft equipped with modern towage, salvage and fire-fighting equipment and manned by experienced and highly-trained masters and crew. www.multraship.com


For more information contact:
Leendert Muller
Multraship B.V.

lmuller@multraship.com

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