[070213.EN.SEA] Open Registries Like Liberia Miffed at Slur -'flags of convenience'

THE Liberian Registry, miffed by an old habit of referring to open registries as "flags of convenience", has called on the industry to stop doing this, reminding all that Liberian flagged vessels have a good safety record.

"Liberia is one of 13 flags which have just been given a clean bill of health by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in its flag state performance table," said Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (ISCR) chief executive Scott Bergeron.

"This means it has earned positive indicators from the ICS with regard to its performance in relation to port state control, convention ratification, recognised organisations, age of vessel, IMO attendance and completion of STCW and ILO reports," he said.

Said an ICS statement: "There is nothing inherently unusual in an international ship registry system in which the owner of a ship may be located in a country other than the state whose flag the ship flies."

Said Mr Scott: "There is no longer any need in shipping for the term 'flag of convenience'. It has purely negative connotations, which is especially perverse in light of the positive indicators accorded to Liberia and to certain other open registries by the ICS."

Source : HKSG, 07.02.13.