Joe Hughes
No, it’s not the name of a new song or Broadway show, but the catchy title given by the American P&I Club to its latest information aid to members and, indeed, the wider shipping industry.
Joe Hughes, chairman and ceo of managers Shipowners Claims Bureau Inc., explains:
“The global shipping industry is confronted with a daunting array of regulations – and concomitant liability – concerning safety, maritime security and marine environmental protection. No regime is more challenging than that of the United States where international, national and individual state rules combine to create an often perplexing landscape of compliance.”
Responding to requests for guidance, the managers have prepared Welcome to the USA! A Shipowner’s Guide to Regulatory Compliance. But members are also asked to note that, in relation to most of these requirements, the club also provides additional guidance, tools and services to assist them in achieving compliance. These are noted in the appropriate places in the guide.
Mr Hughes adds that since the regulatory regime in the US is dynamic, up-to-date summaries of US regulations will be maintained on the club’s website at http://www/american-club.com/page/USA-regulations.
Members also are urged to liaise with their local agents in advance of trading to the US for guidance and assistance regarding the rules which may apply to them.
The American Club was founded in February 1917. In addition to its US headquarters in New York, the club is able to provide local service across all time zones, communicating in eleven languages, with subsidiary offices in London, Piraeus, Hong Kong and Shanghai and a worldwide network of correspondents.
