RMI Maritime Registry Sets New Fleet Milestone
Image Courtesy: IRIThe Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Registry has exceeded 131 gross tons (GT) in March 2016, surpassing the fleet milestone of 100 million GT in 2014.
As noted in the January 2016 issue of Clarksons’ Research’s World Fleet Monitor, the registry saw a 12.5 percent increase in GT in 2015, which was the largest percentage growth among the top ten registries. The RMI Maritime Registry has the youngest overall fleet with average age of 7.9 years.
The growth is said to be largely due to International Registries and its affiliates’ (IRI) model of decentralization which allows for provision of services 24/7 from its 27 office locations along with expansion to Hong Kong and Manila, the Philippines. Precisely, IRI provide administrative and technical support to the RMI and Maritime Registry.
In addition, more than 35 percent of RMI Seafarer Identification and Record Books (SIRBs) are issued to Philippine seafarers, making IRI’s Manila office a key location for issuing seafarers’ documentation, the register claims.
“We have recently learned that the United States Coast Guard’s preliminary results show the RMI will continue to be included on the Qualship 21 roster for 2016; this accolade of 12 consecutive years on Qualiship 21 is significant to our owners and charterers and one that we have been sharing in person with them,” Bill Gallagher, President, IRI said during a recent visit to Seoul and Tokyo when the representatives of IRI met with industry stakeholders, adding that 13 of the current 26 flags are poised to be dropped from Qualship 21.
“The Far East is integral to the growth of the RMI Registry, with both the Republic of Korea and Japan in the top ten shipowning countries of the RMI fleet,” Annie Ng, Head of Asia, IRI added.
Next to the RMI that was kept on the list, the other flag states that continue on Qualiship 21 include Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Italy, Mexico and the Philippines are new to the 2016 Qualship 21 preliminary list.
