Jerry Smith News

A U.S. appeals court on Thursday said workers who use cranes attached to boats to load equipment onto offshore oil rigs are not "seamen" exempt from overtime pay under federal wage law, reviving a collective action against liftboat operator All Coast LLC.The full 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 15-2 to deny en banc review to All Coast and reinstated a three-judge panel's unanimous February ruling that said the workers were engaged in industrial activities that had no bearing…

Liberia International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the new operator of the Liberian Register, is to open a London office on October 1. Captain Tony Goddard has been appointed as head of the new office. Captain Goddard joins LISCR from Novoship (U.K.) Ltd., where he was responsible for fleet safety. He was previously Chief of Marine Safety of Liberia and the Marshall Islands. Jerry Smith, chief operating officer for LISCR, says, "Our London office will enable us to provide a direct and prompt service to the important cluster of owners and operators in London and North Europe who use the Liberian flag and corporate register."