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INDUSTRY - FLAG STATES
Liberian Registry
posts record fleet
numbers
This represented a net growth
during the course of the year of
215 ships and 10.5 mill gt. Last
year was a landmark for the
Liberian Registry as the 3,000th vessel was
registered under the Liberian flag, and it was
the year in which the agreement between the
Liberian Bureau of Maritime Affairs and
LISCR covering the management of the
registry was extended for a further 10 years.
Scott Bergeron, COO of the Liberian
International Ship & Corporate Registry
(LISCR), the US-based manager of the
Liberian Registry, said, “The past 12 months
have been a difficult period for shipping. The
worldwide economic recession, plummeting
freight rates, higher operating costs, the
increased incidents of piracy attacks, and the
unscheduled transfer of tonnage into lay-up to
await more favourable market conditions, were
just some of the more serious problems to have
affected shipowners and operators in 2009.
“The true test of any service provider in the
international shipping industry comes in times
of difficulty, rather than in the good years. The
Liberian Registry is committed to helping its
owners and operators to survive the current
economic downturn and difficult market
conditions and to be prepared in every way for
safe and profitable operation. The continued
healthy growth in the size of the Liberian-flag
fleet confirms that we are succeeding in those
objectives,” he concluded.
Liberia is the world’s second-largest fleet
after Panama. Some 47% of the numbers of
vessels entered in the registry are tankers,
while by tonnage or carrying capacity, the
total number of tankers is 42%. Both
“
The Liberian-flag fleet grew
to a record 3,140 ships,
aggregating 97.2 mill gt,
in 2009.
percentages are by far the largest ship type
flying the Liberian flag.
New agreement in place
As mentioned, the Liberian Bureau of
Maritime Affairs has reached an agreement
with the Liberian International Ship &
Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based
manager of the Liberian Registry, to extend
for a further 10 years the agreement under
which LISCR manages the registry.
LISCR has managed the Liberian Registry
since 1st January, 2000. During this period,
the registry has greatly improved its levels of
service, safety, security and client satisfaction,
as a result of which it has attracted a record
number of shipowners from around the world,
the management company claimed.
Under LISCR management, the registry has
grown in size from 1,700 vessels of 53 mill gt
to over 3,000 vessels of almost 90 mill gt –
the highest totals in its 60-year history.
Yoram Cohen, LISCR CEO said, “We are
delighted to have reached agreement with the
Liberian Bureau of Maritime Affairs to extend
our management of the Liberian Registry for a
further 10 years. The registry has a longestablished
track record of combining the very
highest standards for vessels and crews with the
highest standards of responsive service to
owners, and is on the ‘White List’ of all the
leading Port State Control regimes. Our record
“The true test of any service provider in the
international shipping industry comes in times
of difficulty, rather than in the good years.
Scott Bergeron, COO, Liberian International
Ship & Corporate Registry
”
speaks for itself, and gives us the opportunity to
develop the register still further as an industry
leader in terms of its expertise and initiative,
and to build on its record tonnage figures.
“The renewal of the management agreement
is confirmation of the spectacular progress
which the registry has made under LISCR’s
stewardship, while maintaining its excellent
safety record. We have added over 1,300
vessels in the last 10 years and, even with the
general economic and market downturn and
the cancellation of some newbuilding orders,
which has affected all ship registries, we are
still set fair to significantly increase tonnage
levels over the coming years.
“That growth will come from both
newbuildings and from existing, quality ships.
And it will be growth on an international scale
that will reflect the strength of the registry’s
global brand and the high regard in which it is
held by leading shipowners and operators.
Germany and Japan are particularly exciting
areas for us in terms of expansion, and our
dedicated offices in Hamburg and Tokyo are
doing brisk business,” Cohen said
Bergeron added, “These are tough times for
shipping and, in order to compete, ship
registries have to take a proactive interest in
their clients’ business. The Liberian Registry
continues to work on a number of initiatives
to help its customers survive the current
economic crisis, including making special
arrangements for ships while in lay-up. And it
continues to plan for the future, for example
by taking a proactive role on compliance with
the ILO Maritime Labour Convention and by
providing an industry lead in the conduct of
harmonised audits.
“Liberia believes in making sure that wellrun
ships comply with both the spirit and the
letter of the law so that they can go unimpeded
about their business of keeping world trade
moving and generating much-needed revenue
for their owners. Where possible, it does
everything it can to anticipate problems before
they occur. In this way it can be the eyes and
ears of its customers,” he said.
TO
January/February 2010 TANKEROperator 27