Leaders of the Liberian ship registry are reaping the rewards of their efforts now that it is back on the US Coast Guard (USCG)’s list of top-performing flag states.
Brothers and co-executive chairmen Adam and Elan Cohen said that the flag worked hard to regain its Qualship 21 designation.
From the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR)'s headquarters in Dulles, Virginia, Adam said it has invested heavily in inspectors and technology and is glad to see dividends from the commitment.
“We’ve beefed up a lot of our staff in terms of capacity,” Adam said. “I think we've always put a high standard on it, but it's been a focus that we've had lately.
“We’ve put resources on the ground and we're putting more resources now at major port cities to try to help with inspections.”
LISCR has also developed algorithms using data gathered mainly from classification societies to determine in advance when there may be a risk of a detention or deficiency.
“We're proactive in reaching out to the shipowner or the vessel to help prevent a vessel detention — these are the kinds of things we've been doing for several years and we've been amping it up," Adam said.
To qualify for [Qualship 21], flag administrations must have a three-year port state control detention ratio of less than 1% and be credited with more than 10 port-state exams per year for the past three years.
LISCR's standards slipped in 2016, as its detentions climbed above 1% at a time when the USCG took a tougher stance on deficiencies amid tight markets.
It is difficult to get back on the list immediately, as the USCG uses a three-year rolling average for its calculations.
Small error margin
“We have several thousand port calls in a year from our vessels in the US. The margin of error is very small," Adam said.
“If you have eight detentions versus 12 detentions out of several thousand, that can be the fulcrum. While there's an element of luck, it's a matter of having high standards for vessels coming into the registry and proactively making sure shipowners are always in compliance coming into US ports.”
Elan said LISCR had made it a top priority to ensure it attained Qualship and to work hard to retain it.
"It's a priority for this year and for future years," he added.
However, Adam said the registry is far from considering the Qualship designation the only barometer of its quality.
“It's certainly something we're proud of and I think clients are also proud when their vessels are Qualship 21, but I wouldn't say it's a pivotal hinge to the registry," he said.
“I think the quality of the service has been the same, but it’s an important measurement.”
