Antigua and St. Kitts Registries Create Cooperative Data Centre
The Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis Registries have established the Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre (CDC) for Long Range Tracking and Identification (LRIT) of vessels.
The Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) reports:
London 10 April 2014
The Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) and the St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry (SKANReg) have jointly formed the Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre for Long Distance Identification and Tracking (LRIT) of vessels.
ADOMS and SKANReg were among the first Flag States to establish national LRIT Data Centres in order to fulfil their obligations under SOLAS V Chapter 19/1. They have established a Cooperative Data Centre (CDC) with the intention of further advancing LRIT by sharing their considerable knowledge and expertise in this area with other Flag States who have not yet established a national LRIT Data Centre.
Antigua and Barbuda, as a prominent ship registry, in collaboration with Fulcrum has achieved full compliance with near perfect reporting rates for their vessels. They have adapted the User Interface for their Data Centre to facilitate the management of their sizeable fleet. St. Kitts & Nevis has also enhanced their LRIT National Data Centre to provide additional functionality which facilitates their vessels to fish in Regulated Fishing Zones, such as the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC).
In addition to sharing knowledge and expertise, by forming a Cooperative Data Centre, both flags will benefit from reduced cost of operational overheads, something that other Flags may also benefit from if they chose to join the Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre. The Director of ADOMS who also wears the hat of Chairman of the Caribbean MOU on Port State Control (CMOU) stated; “Antigua and Barbuda has taken this step with St. Kitts and Nevis in order to assist other Flags in the region with meeting their SOLAS obligations. We invite other Flags to join the Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre and to take advantage of the many benefits that this offers”.
The Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre is operated by Fulcrum Maritime Systems Limited. Paul Devlin, Director of Fulcrum commented: “We are extremely proud to be able to support both ADOMS and SKANReg in their desire to raise the profile of LRIT within the Caribbean states”.
Fulcrum Maritime Systems is actively involved in supporting the members of the Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre by providing technical, operational and administrative support in LRIT and other areas of maritime administration, such as the Online Seafarer System that is used by St. Kitts & Nevis, for which they recently received positive feedback in a recent FAL audit. “Fulcrum is able to provide integration of the LRIT Data Centre with other systems and regularly supports us with valuable technical consultancy”, said Nigel Smith, Registrar of SKANReg, “We are very pleased to be part of this initiative to create a Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre and we will continue to provide our support and assistance to this and other initiatives with the aim of providing our registered owners with the best levels of service, and ultimately to improve safety and security for all at sea. For example, St. Kitts and Nevis provide LRIT information to the European Naval Force that is operating in the Gulf of Aden area.”
The point of contact for Flag States wishing to join the Caribbean Cooperative Data Centre is Lt. Cdr Wayne Mykoo:
Lt. Cdr. Wayne Mykoo
Manager Maritime Affairs and External Relations
Antigua & Barbuda Department of Marine Services & Merchant Shipping
Popeshead & Dickenson Bay Streets
P.O. Box 1394
St. John’s Antigua W.I.
Tel: +1 (268) 462-1273
Fax: +1 (268) 462-4358
Mobile: +1 (268) 464-2468
Email: wmykoo@abregistry.ag
Website: www.abregistry.ag
