International Register News

CMA CGM has taken delivery of CMA CGM Champs Elysées, its second 23,000 TEU capacity containership powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).The newbuild, which follows flagship CMA CGM Jacques Saadé delivered in Setember, is part of a series of nine ordered by the French shipping line from CSSC’s shipyard in Shanghai, designed as the world's most efficient ultra large container vessels.LNG fuel, which enables a 99% reduction in sulfur dioxide and fine particle emissions and an 85% reduction in nitrogen dioxide emissions, is a key component of the CMA CGM Group's environmental ambitions.

The world's largest containership to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) has officially joined the fleet of French container shipping group CMA CGM, during a digital naming ceremony at CSSC’s shipyard in Shanghai.CMA CGM Group’s new flagship, CMA CGM Jacques Saadé, named after the group's founder, is the lead vessel in a series of nine LNG-powered, 23,000 TEU containerships ordered in 2017.Rodolphe Saadé, CMA CGM Group’s chairman and CEO, announced in November 2017 that the vessels would be equipped with LNG-powered engines…

The CMA CGM Group has launched its first new vessel in a series of nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered ultra large containerships at the Shanghai Jiangnan-Changxing Shipyard, the France-based shipping and logistics company announced on Wednesday.At 23,000-TEU capacity, the CMA CGM Jacques Saadé and its eight French-flagged sisterships will be the world’s largest containerships to run on LNG propulsion.“With the launching of the first 23,000-TEU ship powered by liquefied natural gas…

UK Ship Register (UKSR) will now allow owners from a broader group of countries to register their vessels in the UK.UKSR announced that it is set to expand its ownership eligibility, allowing more shipping companies from around the world to flag to the UK.The criteria has been widened beyond the current areas of the UK and Europe to include Commonwealth countries and bring the UK in line with our Red Ensign Group partners.The UK Flag is an International Register (not limited to nationally based companies). Director of the UK Ship Register Richard Parkes said, “This change will now allow the UK flag to attract first class ships and owners who have their company based outside of the UK. They too will be able to benefit from exceptional service and a global reputation”.

The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules extending a scheme supporting the maritime transport sector in Denmark, including the ones working in the offshore wind industry.Under the amended scheme, shipping companies registered in the Danish International Register of Shipping (DIS) and employing seafarers aboard certain specialised vessels providing off-shore activities, such as, for example, guard  vessels, vessels servicing off-shore installations and vessels for raising, repairing and dismantling windmills can benefit from an exemption from income taxes for their seafarers.According  to a press release from the European Commission…

The Danish Parliament has approved new regulation following extension of the rules on tax free net wages for seafarers to also include certain specialized vessels.According to Danish Maritime Authority, the Danish parliament adopted an extension of the seafarer tax scheme last spring, making it apply to the crew on certain specialized vessels in the offshore sector."Todays’ new act allows for ship owners and Danish trade unions to enter into agreements that cover all seafarers on vessels primarily engaged in offshore activities in Danish waters regardless of the seafarer’s place of residence," it said.The Danish government recently enacted a new bill to amend the rules on ship registration…

The Government’s Plan for Growth in the Danish Maritime Sector positions the country to become a global maritime hub by 2025. The plan counts initiatives aimed at making Denmark a global frontrunner within tests of maritime autonomous technologies and maritime digitalisation, creating more work-experience places at sea and increasing the number of applicants admitted to the training programmes for masters and ship officers, as well as ensuring the development of an overall maritime marketing strategy in close cooperation with the industry. The Government’s Plan for Growth is based on the recommendations made by the Maritime Strategy Team. ”With the Plan for Growth in the Danish Maritime Sector, the Government has set the course for Denmark to become a global maritime power hub by 2025.

Lauritzen Kosan has reflagged two of its ships to Denmark for the first time since 2003. The registers of the two vessels, the Helena Kosan and the Linda Kosan, have been changed to the Danish International Register of Shipping (DIS) as they begin a period time charter which will require an EU flag. “The reflagging of these two gas carriers to Denmark is driven by commercial arguments, and it goes to show that the Danish flag is now very close to being as competitive as Malta, Singapore and the Isle of Man. There are still some challenges, but we very much appreciate the clear pro-business signals currently being sent by the Danish political system,” said Mads P. Zacho, CEO of J. Lauritzen.

Paris MoU reports that 2015 shows a large decrease in the refusal of access (“bans”) within the region: 11 bans compared to 20 in 2014. The detention percentage has remained stable at 3.33 percent. The number of deficiencies has decreased 10 percent related to 2014. The number of inspections carried out was 17,858, slightly less than 2014 (18,430). Over a three-year period of time, most cases of refusal of access involve ships which have been banned for multiple detentions (45). Five ships have been banned a second time. A significant number (12) were banned for failing to call at an indicated repair yard. The remaining three cases involved ships which “jumped the detention”, by sailing without authorization.

At its 49th meeting last month, the Paris MoU Committee approved the 2015 inspection results and adopted new performance lists for flags and Recognized Organizations. These lists will take effect from July 1, 2016. The White, Grey and Black (WGB) List presents the full spectrum, from quality flags to flags with a poor performance that are considered high or very high risk. It is based on the total number of inspections and detentions over a three-year rolling period for flags with at least 30 inspections in the period. On the White, Grey and Black list for 2015, a total number of 73 flags are listed: 43 on the White List, 19 on the Grey List and 11 on the Black list.

Although a small nation on the Atlantic shores, Portugal in the 16th century was credited with discovering most of the “New World” previously unknown to Europe. In the process it became the richest nation in the West. The names of Bartolomeu Dias (Africa), Vasco da Gama (India) and Fernão de Magalhães – Magellan, who led the first circumnavigation of the globe but was killed in the attempt – echo down the centuries. Over the years the country underwent a transformation and saw the hard won glory fade. In fact until 1974, strong public protection dominated the national shipping sector, especially regarding merchant shipping to Portugal’s overseas territories.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has placed the International Register of Shipping (IRS) in the top bracket of those recognized organizations (RO) that consistently achieve zero detentions for its registered vessels for the third time in just six years. IRS notes its strong performance reported by the USCG in its Annual Report 2014 follows the completion of performance audits by the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding and the Panama government. IRS passed the Panama audit without any major non-conformances or the need for a follow-up audit, placing the classification society amongst leading industry ROs, including the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd’s Register and DNV GL.

At its 48th meeting last month, the Paris MoU Committee approved the 2014 inspection results and adopted new performance lists for flags and Recognized Organizations. These lists will take effect from July 1, 2015. The “White, Grey and Black (WGB) List” presents the full spectrum, from quality flags to flags with a poor performance that are considered high or very high risk. It is based on the total number of inspections and detentions over a three-year rolling period for flags with at least 30 inspections in the period. On the “White, Grey and Black list” for 2014, a total number of 72 flags are listed: 43 on the “White List”, 19 on the “Grey List” and 10 on the “Black list”.

The Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding has positioned the International Register of Shipping (IRS) closer to the higher ranking achievers on its performance list, following the classification society’s success during the 2012-2014 period. IRS achieved a zero excess factor, placing the society just seven places behind IACS member societies on the list of high performing recognized organizations (ROs). In its Annual Report 2014, the Tokyo MoU reported that of the 863 inspections carried out on IRS-classed ships only 1.16% resulted in detentions across the three-year period. The statistics resulted in IRS moving from a 2012 excess factor of 0.25 to zero.

The International Register of Shipping has submitted goal-based new ship construction standards for verification audit by the International Maritime Organisation. IRS is the only Recognized Organisation outside the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to have developed and submitted MSC 296(87)-compliant structural rules for bulk carriers and oil tankers in time to meet the IMO December 2013 deadline. In total, 13 classification societies submitted GBS verification requests. The outcome of the audits will be submitted to the MSC in May 2016 and, if approved, those construction rules will be applied to bulk carriers and oil tankers built on or after July 1, 2016, limiting the survey and certification of these ship types to this group of 13 societies.

London, 22 July 2011 – International Register of Shipping (IRS) has received official approval from the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to open a surveying company in China. The approval comes as IRS, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, continues to expand its network, especially in Asia and Africa. It has opened new offices in Singapore, Norway and Ukraine in the last year. Furthermore, IRS is delighted to announce that it has received full authorization to issue statutory certificates on behalf of the maritime authorities of Kenya, Senegal and Zanzibar. Said Nassif, IRS Managing Director, says the Chinese approval is a significant advance for the classification society.

International Register of Shipping (IRS) has opened an office in Singapore. The office will be designated as a regional centre for the classification society and will offer a wide range of services. “Singapore is one the busiest ports in the world and with a free market economy and political stability, many shipping companies are making this their home,” said Julian Padilla, Chairman of the Board of International Register of Shipping. “We intend to be the preferred service provider to these companies. The office is staffed by marine engineers, naval architects, master mariners, marine oil and gas specialists, marine risk and security specialists, oil terminal specialists and quality/environment/safety and safety lead auditors.

International Register of Shipping has opened an office in Norway as it continues to expand its international presence in the world’s main maritime centers. The office in Bergen will be run by Noralf Lekva and Kjell Jensen, a master mariner. Both have extensive experience in the maritime industry, including ship owning, brokering and management. Torris Bornes, senior principal surveyor for the office, is a naval engineer who has a wide range of experience, including ship’s engineer in the merchant marine, manager of ship repair yards, technical manager for offshore companies and surveyor for several classification societies. “We are pleased to be opening the first International Register of Shipping office in Scandinavia,” said Lekva.

International Register of Shipping has signed another international bilateral agreement of collaboration. The agreement with Ships Classification Malaysia (SCM) will enhance safety and security in navigation and help prevent marine pollution, as well as promote technical and educational cooperation and encourage joint ventures in ship survey. "We have agreed to co-operate in both the ships classification services and non-classification services,” says Said Nassif, managing director of International Register of Shipping, who augmented the established group seeking to finalize the agreement. "We are very pleased to be working closely with SCM - this reinforces our commitment to transparency and quality in the maritime industry.

International Register of Shipping (IRS), an independent classification society, appointed Said Nassif as managing director as incumbent Bijimon Punnoose is promoted to the management committee. This new promotion of Punnoose will now allow him to develop global strategy for IRS. Incorporated within this role will be business development for the Americas. The appointments take immediate effect. After his sea career, Nassif joined the Canadian government as a marine surveyor, rose through the ranks and held several management positions including Director Marine Security where he was responsible for the promotion and enforcement of policies, standards and regulations to improve security in the maritime sector.

The single skin, ocean tank barge, B. No. 105, was sold to West African buyers after sellers took delivery of their newbuilding double-hull replacement. The barge, re-named Heyden-Lamissa, was built by Gretna Machine & Iron Works, Gretna, LA in 1971. Principal dimensions are 340 ft by 70 ft by 27.5 ft hull depth. Cargo capacity is 12,889 tons or abt. 102,000 bbls in 10 coiled cargo tanks. Special features include a 12 million BTU self-heating system and crew accommodations for four persons.

Turkey has made key changes to the requirements for registration on its international ship register. The changes will make it simpler for both shipowners and financiers to take advantage of Turkish registration. Seyma Inal, senior partner at Istanbul-based Inal Law Office says, "The biggest change, published last week, is that ships no longer have to call at a Turkish port before they can be registered on the Turkish International Ship Registry. And the registration period for ships first registered abroad has been increased from six months to one year. The amendment to the Turkish International Ship Registry Regulation was published in the Official Gazette on September 17, 2006 and came into force immediately.

The Norwegian International Register freighter Lysfoss sailed from Belfast on May 20, bound for Bremen to carry out repairs, Reuters reported. The 3,728-dwt freighter was being escorted by a tug. Lysfoss sustained damage when it ran aground off the west of Scotland on May 7 carrying a small amount of hazardous waste plus 3,718 tons of paper and timber and was refloated on May 12. There were 30 tons of diesel oil and 130 tons of intermediate fuel oil on board when it ran aground.