REGISTRIESStrength in Numbers100m gt strong, International Registries and the Republic of the MarshallIslands Registry prove that quality and safety are not mutually exclusive. By Joseph Keefehen International Registries, Inc. and its af-? liates (IRI) and Republic of the Marshall Is-RANK Flag Type Age # Vessels m.GT %Chng lands (RMI) Registry recently pushed through 2014W 100 million gross tons, the impressive number kept RMI ? rmly planted in the number three position within 1 Panama Open 16.2 8547 231 + 2.3the ranks of global open registries. And, yet, that enviable mar-2 Liberia Open 9.5 3172 131 + 2.7ket position obscures so many other metrics which are more 3 RMI Open 7.9 2252 93 (*) + 10.2important. With a world-leading average bluewater vessel age 4 Hong Kong Open 8.9 2326 84 + 8.2of just 7.9 years, IRI’s safety and quality numbers – according 5 Singapore Open 9.2 3535 68 + 13.1to ICS, the U.S. Coast Guard and the IMO – are even more 6 Bahamas Open 14.2 1422 55 + 1.3impressive. How they achieved those metrics is the real story. Over time, IRI, who provides administrative and technical 7 China PR National 15.8 3685 48 + 6.6support to RMI, has perfected the decentralization of Registry 8 Malta Open 11.5 1794 47 + 6.6services. According to William Gallagher, IRI President, one 9 Greece National 23.7 1534 44 + 2.4of the key competitive advantages of a quality ? ag state is 10 Cyprus Open 11.1 1048 21 + 1.9the ability to provide competent and timely services to clients, anywhere in the world. He adds, “The backbone of the organi-Source: Clarkson Research Services / (*) RMI passed 100 million tons in late January 2014.zation is truly the experienced maritime personnel positioned in our network of 25 worldwide of? ces. Shipowners are able to reach a Registry representative in their own time zone and RMI’s white list status on the Paris and Tokyo Memoran-language, using a 24/7 duty of? cer system that enables indus- dums of Understanding (MoUs) and being included on the try stakeholders to reach a representative in emergency situa- United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) Qualship 21 roster for tions.” Beyond this, says Gallagher, “Our robust vetting pro- nine consecutive years is unprecedented. Started in 2011 by the cess for ships entering and remaining in the Registry enables U.S. Coast Guard, QUALSHIP 21 recognizes high-quality ves-us to ensure that only quality owners and operators make up sels and their commitment to safety and quality. Bill Gallagher the ? eet of the RMI Registry.” explains the ratings even further. “The scorecard from the port At local RMI of? ces, technical and marine safety status State control (PSC) jurisdictions is really a clear measurement boards enable RMI personnel to ensure timely responses, even of how a Registry is doing. While the RMI ? eet has grown sig-when an event crosses from one time zone to the next. These ni? cantly on an annual basis, it has still been able to maintain the status boards also enable personnel to see all issues associated same level of quality on a global basis with the various MoUs.” with a particular vessel. Separately, the latest ICS “Flag State Performance Table” has the Marshall Islands with no less than 18 out of 18 “posi-Decentralization: The key to Quality and Safety tive performance ratings” or Green indicators. Very few other In most business models, when volume goes up, the qual- ? ags can boast the same performance, still fewer in ? ag ? eets ity correspondingly goes down. Not so with RMI. Growing as large as the Marshall Islands. The numbers did not come from just 39 vessels and 2 million gross tons in 1990 to 100 about by accident. That said; IRI is not sitting on its hands.million gross tons and more than 2,250 vessels today, ? eet Improving IRI’s unique, decentralized Registry model is an quality nevertheless remains at an enviously high level. And, ongoing process that involves further re? nement of internal the numbers simply don’t lie. systems through IT resources to enhance the ability to com-28 Maritime Professional 1Q 2014| | MP Q1 2014 18-33.indd 28 MP Q1 2014 18-33.indd 28 2/27/2014 12:37:12 PM2/27/2014 12:37:12 PM