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1 www.liscr.comFlagship July 2002
SHIPPING has never been an easy target for terrorists.Nor is there any reason to suppose that it ever shouldbe. But the events of September 11 in the UnitedStates have alerted industry leaders everywhere to thepotential threat posed by terrorism. Shipping is noexception, and the IMO has taken the lead in initiatingindustry debate about the needto review the measures it hasalready adopted to enhance shipand port security.
As reported in our last edition ofFlagship, the Liberian Registry isan active participant in the ongoingdebate on maritime security at theIMO. In a genuine spirit of co-operation, LISCR has alreadyindicated its willingness to makeavailable to the relevant authoritiesall the facilities and resources whichare used to run the world’s leadinginternational ship and corporate registry.
The Liberian Registry has also taken the initiativein advance of any other registry to develop acomprehensive security manual for ship operators.This was made available to the International MaritimeOrganisation at its recent conference. The manual willbe distributed as an advisory document to all Liberian-flagged ships in advance of any internationalrequirement. Furthermore, LISCR has pledged itsfull support to the US Congress to improve securitymeasures for ships visiting ports in the US. And, as afurther demonstration of its commitment to helping tomake international shipping as safe as possible, LISCRhas also identified the security measures it has alreadyimplemented as a leading ship registry.
In June, LISCR ceo Yoram Cohen told the SpecialOversight Panel on the Merchant Marine of the ArmedServices Committee of the US House ofRepresentatives, “We stand ready to assist the Coast
NEWS FROM THE LIBERIAN REGISTRY
Issue No. 7 July 2002
Guard or other US agencies in any way we can.I hope we have shown that the Liberian Registrycan make a very positive contribution to US nationalsecurity.”
Statistics show that the US depends on open registryvessels for its international trade. Cohen explained,“For the US to survive as a competitive player ininternational commerce and to meet the need forincreased homeland security, the authorities will needto adopt positive policies towards open registers. The
Liberian Registry in this respect isa substantial asset, and can be astandard-setter for the US.
“Ships entering US waters pose apotential threat to national security.The Coast Guard has identifiedthe critical issues of concern: whoare the crew and who has controlof the ship; who can communicatewith the ship effectively; whoknows where the ship has beenand how the ship functions.A Coast Guard officer receivingdetails from a ship approaching
US waters wants to know, ‘How can I cross-check theaccuracy of this information?’ If the ship is Liberian-flagged, LISCR has the data, and the Coast Guardcan have real-time access to it. This will minimiseunnecessary delay or bureaucracy for Liberian-flaggedships.”
LISCR is an innovator and a product leader interms of service to clients and compliance withinternational obligations. It can provide practical helpto the US and other port state authorities, help whichthose authorities may want to consider requestingfrom other flag states.
LISCR has invested considerable resources tocreate a digitised database of seafarers and theirqualifications. Moreover, the Liberian Registry has the
LISCR offers securitysupport to US Congress
FLAGSHIP
LISCR has pledged its full support to USCongress to improve security measures for
ships visiting ports in the US
2 Flagship July 2002
additional scrutiny or continuing observation, inspectionand maintenance were required, the Liberian Registryissued a “Flag State Observation” within the company’ssafety management system.
IMO Resolution A.744 (18) requires ships’ crews toconduct inspections of critical areas and maintainrecords of their findings. And under such resolution, PortState Control authorities are to have access to theserecords as well. The review conducted by the LiberianRegistry has helped owners identify critical areas thatrequire closer inspection and to ensure that they complywith IMO requirements.
The Registry wants to help Liberian flag owners to keeptheir crews and their ships safe. As a responsibleregistry, Liberia has maritime expertise, which it candeploy to oversee class and owners, and therebyproperly discharge its function as a flag state.
largest electronic record system of multinationalseafarers in the world. It is now taking the next stepin seafarer identification and is in the process ofintroducing biometric identification measures forseafarers. The system will allow remote data checkingprior to a seafarer joining a ship’s crew, and at periodicintervals thereafter.
LISCR’s resources and commitment are significant interms of information and monitoring available to USand other government authorities. Liberia’s commitmentto standards is important to attract reputable shipoperators and their strategic ships to the Registry. Asa US company, LISCR pledges its support towardsimproving security measures, and stands ready to helpthe Coast Guard or other safety and security agenciesin any way possible.
Liberian registry takesbulker safety initiative
Liberia excels in ParisMoU analysis
THE Liberian Registry is conducting a Bulker SafetyInitiative, aimed at preventing bulk carrier losses and lossof seafarers’ lives. The initiative has identified all 300 bulkcarriers on the register, and selected half of these on ageand service criteria, for a closer review of their surveystatus and for follow-up action aimed at preventing afuture casualty.
Yoram Cohen, ceo of LISCR, says, “We take ourresponsibility as one of the world’s largest and safest shipregisters seriously. We believe that flag states should beproactive on vessel safety, and not leave these issues todelegated class societies or for port state control touncover. This initiative demonstrates our intention tocontinue to lead the world towards greater flag stateresponsibility”.
As part of this initiative, the IACS classification societies,which are delegated survey responsibility by Liberia, wereasked to provide the recent survey information for all thevessels within the range of bulk carriers considered to bemost at risk.
A thorough review of class survey reports and records byLISCR’s own expert maritime team revealed instances ofstructural deterioration, inadequate condition of closuresand fittings and poor maintenance of coatings, which areall indicators of a ship’s overall condition. The LiberianRegistry created a matrix including these factors and usedthat to compile a list of ships whose condition warrantedfurther scrutiny or close continuous observation. Thereview also included an appraisal of the RecognisedOrganisation responsible for ISM Code Auditing.
Using the ISM Code system as the core of the BulkerSafety Initiative, the Liberian Registry communicated itsfindings to each shipowner’s designated person. Where
FIGURES released by the Paris Memorandum ofUnderstanding on Port State Control show the LiberianRegistry firmly established on the organisation’sprestigious White List as the world’s most safety-awareopen register, based on inspection and detention ratiosfor the period 1999 to 2001.
The Paris MoU’s annual report states that a number of flagstates responsible for certifying high-risk ships have “moreconcern for their revenues than for safety standards. Someregisters have managed to find their way to the top of theBlack List in a single year. Other notorious flags seem tobe comfortable with their position on the Black List, andhave not shown any improvement over the years.”
The Liberian Registry is not in the business of commentingon the performance of other registers, whether they beopen registers or otherwise. But it wholeheartedlyendorses the comments of the Paris MoU that “… flagstates … will be held accountable for their performance …while … flags with a good safety record will be rewardedfor investing in quality shipping.”
Liberia has always maintained that this should be thecase.
The 29,688 gt, 1998-built “Sanko Stream” is one of the manyhigh-quality bulk carriers registered with LISCR. The Liberian
Registry takes a proactive attitude to ship safety, and hasrecently launched a bulker safety initiative.
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3Flagship July 2002
THE Liberian Registry has entered into a co-operationagreement with SeaDigital Communications, a newlyformed communications organisation established to providehigh-quality satellite communication services to the maritimeindustry.
SeaDigital is an authorised Point of Service Activator orRouteing Organisation for the Liberian Registry. Under aco-operative agreement, SeaDigital will co-ordinate theissuance of Inmarsat Mobile Numbers and will arrangethe activation of Inmarsat mobile terminals for all vesselsregistered with the Liberian Registry.
SeaDigital Communications will provide the customers ofthe Liberian Registry with a one-call, one-stop convenientcommunications service. Owners, managers, and agents ofships flagging to Liberia will need only to contact LISCR’sNew York office. LISCR staff will then liaise with SeaDigital to ensure timely activation services.
Please visit www.SeaDigital.com to learn more aboutSeaDigital Communications and the activation of Inmarsatterminals.
LISCR makes it easy topay online
End of an era
Inmarsat activations
LISCR has joined with WorldPay, the globallyacknowledged and respected leader in secure, multilingualand multi-currency Internet payment solutions, to enableowners to pay for LISCR’s services safely and securely inmore than 120 different currencies via the LISCR website.
Corporate clients are now able to make payments viawww.LISCR.com using credit and debit cards bearing theVisa and MasterCard logos. Similar online payment optionswill soon be available for maritime-related services.
One of the biggest advantages of paying for LISCRservices online with WorldPay’s multi-currency paymentoptions is that WorldPay guarantees the currency valuationquoted at the time the transaction is processed. Thisfeature eliminates unpleasant surprises in the form ofextra currency fluctuations or bank surcharges.
WorldPay provides the highest security standards ofsecurity to protect LISCR clients. Financial privacy isachieved through the use of secure payment pages, inorder that confidential financial information and paymentsare safe.
WorldPay uses a combination of both established andinnovative techniques to ensure the security and integrityof all confidential data. In addition, financial informationprovided by owners when paying for LISCR services onlinewill be held only on WorldPay’s secure servers, thusoffering an additional layer of financial protection.
THE biennial Posidonia exhibition and conference is arguably the largest commercial and social event in the shipping calendar. Thisyear was no exception, as the first week in June saw an eclectic mix of shipping professionals making their way to the former passengerterminal on the Piraeus waterfront.
The Liberian Registry had a dedicated booth in the exhibition hall, and was strongly represented by senior executives and staff from itsoffices around the world. We were delighted to welcome old and new friends alike to the stand, and were greatly encouraged by thevery positive feedback we received from visitors and clients.
parenthesis until the Minimum Safe Manning Certificates(MSMC) have all been changed.
Liberian Minimum Safe Manning Certificates (MSMCs)issued after June 18 will use the more common termsfor licensed engineers and will more accurately reflectother terms used in the amended STCW convention.Vessels entering the flag, changing their names, orhaving their MSMCs replaced for any reason, willreceive these new MSMCs. While the previously issuedMSMCs remain valid, the operators of Liberian-flagvessels may ask to have the older MSMCs replaced.
AFTER decades of issuing First Assistant Engineer,Second Assistant Engineer, and Third Assistant Engineerofficer certificates, the Liberian Administration isswitching to the more common format of SecondEngineer, Third Engineer, and Fourth Engineer. Theold name will still appear on the officer certificate in
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ContactsFor assistance with all matters related to ship orcorporate registration in Liberia, please contact
any of these offices:HEADQUARTERS
Virginia, USATel: +1 703 790 3434Fax: +1 703 790 5655Yoram Cohen, [email protected]
Scott Bergeron, COO Maritime [email protected]
Jill Keohane, Senior Vice-President [email protected]
New York, USATel: +1 212 697 3434Fax: +1 212 697 5655
Brad Berman, General [email protected]
Jerry Smith, Maritime [email protected]
Hong KongTel: +852 28101068Fax: +852 28100023
William Wu, Executive [email protected]
London, UKTel: +44 207 799 3434Fax: +44 207 799 3456
Helen Gurr, General [email protected]
Piraeus, GreeceTel: +30 1 452 9670Fax: +30 1 452 9673
Evangelos Carras, General [email protected]
Monrovia, LiberiaTel: +231 227 721 Fax: +231 226 477
Joseph Keller, VP and General Manager
Taipei, Taiwan (Representative Office)Tel: +886 227 671161Fax: +886 227 695725
Tuan Hseng
Zurich, SwitzerlandTel: +41 1 250 8650Fax: +41 1 250 8655
Catherine Dreyer, General [email protected]
Tokyo, JapanTel: +81 33 553 4646Fax: +81 33 555 9159
Captain Takashi [email protected]
Editorial consultantsMerlin Corporate Communications
GLORIA Shiflett enjoys herjob. She must. In August,Gloria will celebrate hertwenty-fifth year working forthe Liberian Registry. Gloriaco-ordinates the vesselinspection programme underthe direction of Tim Keeganat LISCR headquarters inVienna, Virginia. But shehasn’t always done that.She started out in 1977 asa clerk/typist and, as shemodestly puts it, has “movedaround doing different things”since then.
In her capacity as vessel inspection programme co-ordinator,Gloria is the main point of contact at LISCR for over 200nautical inspectors - and for many more owners, operatorsand agents. While Gloria rarely gets to meet many of theseindividuals, she feels she knows them pretty well.
“I really do enjoy my work,” she says. “I get to know lots ofgenuinely nice people, over the telephone or via email. It isnot unusual for me to get upwards of sixty emails in a day.I reply to every one of them. I am the main point of contactfor a lot of LISCR’s customers. You build up a rapport overa period of time. They tell me what they want. They tell mewhere they are. I even get maps in the mail.”
Gloria appreciates the help and support she gets from hercolleagues at LISCR. “People are really good to me here,”she says. “And it is important to work with people who areprepared to spend time with you, and to explain thingsproperly.”
Somebody has done a lot of explaining, and done it well.These days, in addition to her work on safety inspectionreports, Gloria gets involved in a variety of other activities,including special projects, contract drafting, ID verification,and website programming. “I have learned a lot aboutshipping,” says Gloria. “And I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Gloria is a coalminer’s daughter from Asco, West Virginia.She has been married for 37 years, and has four daughters,eight grandchildren, and two great granddaughters. “Life isgood,” she says. “I’m still learning. I just take one day at atime.”
An especially nice lady.
On theregister
