The Liberian Registry has been included in the latest US Coast Guard (USCG) Qualship 21 programme, which recognises flag states with the best port-state-control (PSC) performance.
To be included, administrations must have a three-year PSC detention ratio of less than 1%, and be credited with more than 10 inspections per year over the last three years.
“This is a major metric by which quality and performance is measured by the maritime industry,” Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry chief operating officer Alfonso Castillero said.
“In addition to being whitelisted by the Paris MOU and Tokyo MOU, being added into Qualship 21 is further reinforcement of our commitment to excellence, and our investment in the right people and processes to ensure a safe and compliant fleet.”
Vessels operating under flags recognised by Qualship 21 are given advantages and are less likely to be inspected when calling at US ports. The Liberian Registry fell out of the Qualship 21 programme in 2020.
The latest listing, which runs between 2022 and 2023, has been achieved while the Liberian Registry has grown to 5,000 ships and amounting to more than 200m gt — making it the world’s second-largest flag after Panama.
According to data from broker Clarksons, the Liberian Registry had grown 0.7% this year.
