Half of the 26 flag states eligible for the US Coast Guards Qualship 21 have fallen off the preliminary list for 2016.

A statement by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) said that information presented at the Intertanko’s North American panel meeting alongside the Connecticut Maritime Association conference last week by Rear Admiral Paul Thomas, assistant commandant for prevention policy for the USCG, showed that 13 of the 26 eligible flag-states had fallen off the list. The Marshall Islands along with nine other flag-states - Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and the UK. Three new states - Italy, Mexico and the Philippines - were added to the Qualship 21 preliminary list.

The USCG’s Qualship 21 programme rewards flag-states, and vessels from them, for commitment to safety and quality when calling at US ports.

“Even though the data is preliminary, getting the news during CMA that we will continue on Qualship 21 for 12 consecutive years was timely and meant we could immediately share this information with our owners and operators in person,” said Bill Gallagher, President of International Registries, Inc, which runs the Marshalls Island registry.

Of the top three largest registries – Panama, Liberia and the Marshalls Islands, RMI is the only one with Qualship 21 recognition.