Latvia Authorizes Korean Register Statutory Services
Korean Register (KR), an IACS member classification society, has been authorized as a “recognized organization” of the Latvian government to deliver statutory services. The authorization means KR is now able to conduct relevant surveys, audits and issue certificates to Latvian flagged ships for SOLAS, MARPOL, ITC, ICLL, ISM Code and MLC. ISPS Code related certification will also be carried out upon acquiring prior approval from the government of Latvia. This authorization follows similar acceptance by Oman earlier in the year and brings the total number of countries where KR is authorized to carry out ship survey and certification work to 67.
Latvian Privatization Saga Continues
Stymied in its efforts to extract what it deems a reasonable market value, the Latvian government will decide on April 4 whether to proceed with the privatization of Latvian Shipping after a third tender to sell the firm failed. The government received only one bid for a 44 percent stake in the company, which was subsequently ruled invalid because the unnamed bidder failed to present all necessary documents and pay a $3.9 million security deposit and a 2,000 lat auction fee. The bidding deadline was March 27. "The government will evaluate three variants on further action. One variant is to stop Latvian Shipping's privatization, the second is to extend the application deadline and the third is to set a repeated tender," said Romans Melniks, spokesman for the economy minister.
