Assistant Department News

Are we that far away from phantom fully autonomous vessels plying the world’s seas? Not according to many in the know. Many predict by 2020 that we will see this type of ship with a limited crew in smaller applications such as the marine highway short haul scenarios, local ferry service such as the Staten Island ferry and offshore supply boats in the Gulf of Mexico. Phantom/drone unmanned ships reportedly would be safer, cheaper and less polluting for an industry that carries approximately 90 percent of the world trade. However as with aircraft drones and on the horizon driverless auto’s, we must be concerned with regulatory and safety issues.

The U.S. Executive Branch has declared that the cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation, and that America’s economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on effective cyber security. Before the maritime industry sounds the danger signal, it needs to monitor other industries and branches of the government and take proactive preventative measures. There is no better place to prepare future and current mariners for these challenges than in maritime simulators.

The Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), a member of the YCF Group of companies and exclusive administrator of the world’s largest quality ship register, has appointed Christian Mollitor to the position of vice president. This newly created role represents a return to LISCR for Mollitor. Having formerly held the position of Assistant Department Head of Seafarer Certification and Documentation, he left the registry in 2001 to further develop his career. This…