 BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIBERIAN MARITIME PROGRAM |
I. The Liberian Maritime Program was established December 18, 1948
II. Liberia is the second largest Maritime Nation in the world in terms of tonnage.
III. Up to 1999, we have a total number of vessels registered under the Liberian Flag to be 1,746 representing nearly 61.8 million gross tons and 33.98 million net tons.
Today's position has as its foundation the high standards set and maintained during those 53 years. Liberia has often led the world in introducing new standards of safety and in implementing new international codes and conventions and the flag is recognized as being the Premier of the open registry.
The registry has a reputation for quality, efficiency, safety and service. We can proudly say that while we are the second in terms of tonnage, we hold the world's best safety record as a maritime nation. Liberian also offers one of the most convenient, efficient, and tax effective offshore corporate registries in the world.
As a founding member of the International Maritime Organization, Liberia is proud to have maintained the highest safety standards on board vessels registered under her flag and has contributed tremendously in preventing pollution of the marine environment. Making the ocean and its environs a safer place has been one of our primary goals. We have indeed invested millions of dollars to create these safety standards. Out inspectorate system involving major international classification societies has developed to an internationally acceptable system.
| A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LIBERIAN MARITIME PROGRAM |
The plan to attract ship-owners to the Liberian ship registry culminated in the drafting of modern maritime legislation, aimed at facilitating the operation of ships, growth of fleets and world trade. As the post-war trend among the world's leading business nations was one of international competition to capture new world markets, the Liberian Maritime Law was drafted to address the needs of this dynamic, fast-paced modern world to permit vessels to operate at peak efficiency.
|
Over the years, the Liberian registry has been the "flag of choice" of some of the world's largest ship-owners and ships. Ship-owners recognize the need to operate quality tonnage under a flag that implements the highest internationally agreed shipping standards and a registry with an established reputation of adequate global enforcement mechanism. The daily technical support from the Liberian registry to ship-owners has helped to ensure that the vessels remain compliant. Today, the Liberian registry has about 1,899 plus ships representing 61.6 million GRT up to 1999 statistics.
| The Future |
The Bureau of Maritime Affairs remains committed to its goal of safety first. The Liberian Maritime Safety Inspection was instituted in 1971 to ensure that all Liberian Ships are boarded and inspected by a qualified nautical Inspector on an annual basis, to accomplish this task, which also complies with SOLAS regulation 1/6,7,8 & 10. Liberia retains a global network of 265 nautical inspectors in addition to those permanently employed at its offices around the world.
These inspections, which complement the class surveys, are directed at navigational aides, availability and operation of survival and safety gear, manning and general operation practices and procedures. Inspections are both scheduled and unscheduled to ensure continuous compliance by the ships and their crews with Liberian Maritime Laws and regulations, which include applicable international maritime treaties developed by the IMO and the ILO to which Liberia is a party.
The Implementation of the International Ship Management (ISM) Code, the 1995 Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping (STCW) Amendments and the recently adopted new Chapter XII of Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), Bulk Carrier Safety are top priority for the Bureau. Liberia is proud of its contributions to safer shipping and cleaner oceans.
As the registry with the World's largest Tanker Fleet and one of the world's newest fleet (with an average age of 12 years), Liberia is working towards better and improved safety standards well through its 53 years and into the new millennium. In this regard, the establishment in 1997 of the Liberian Maritime Advisory Board, a body composed of members from all sectors of the maritime industry, is expected to provide positive recommendations in the formulation of policy and other Maritime related issues. |
