Quality initiatives launched last year by the London-based St Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry (SKANReg) have prompted improvements of up to 62% in results from Port State Control inspections.
The improvement comes as SKANReg – operational since 2005 – steps up its bid to attain PSC Grey List status within the next 1-2 years and White List ranking within 2-4 years from now. As part of this drive, the registry has been accepted for audit next year under the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme. St Kitts & Nevis has also become the 23rd of 30 signatories required to bring the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 into force.
In 2011 the registry’s PSC detentions under the Paris MOU were down 62% – with eight last year against 21 in 2010 – and the detention rate was halved to 8.2%. Detentions under the Tokyo Asia/Pacific MOU were down 37% from 11 to 7 and the detention rate fell ten points to 7.4%. Under the Black Sea MOU, detentions dropped by 55% from 11 to 5 and the detention rate was cut from 12.94 to 4.7%.
Registrar Nigel Smith says: “Our fleet is gradually becoming more diverse and sophisticated, but at the same time we remain loyal to owners and managers from developing nations who often operate older tonnage. This raises special challenges in maintaining standards, but the tightened control measures we introduced last year underline our commitment and ability to make rapid strides in the right direction.”
