Port state

A study into whether Canadian and Mexican ports have an "unfair advantage" over US ports, which could potentially lead to a "full-scale trade spat," has industry experts suggesting that a review of domestic maritime policy would be a more effective study.

The ISRR staff has learned of a letter written by the United States’ Government Accountability Office (GAO) stating its intentions to review the Jones Act “in terms of its effect on both the Puerto Rican economy and the broader U.S. economy.”

In the latest development to United States maritime policy, Congressman Steve Cohen has re-proposed the American Coastal Waters and Shorelines Protection Act – a bill that would require offshore vessels drilling in U.S. waters to be nationally flagged.

The maritime community has been discussing the use of armed guards aboard vessels in response to the continued issue of piracy within the Gulf of Aden and other high risk areas.

The list was issued June 6th and is based on inspection data for the period 2008-2010. 84 flags are on the 2010 list, up from 82 for 2009. The 2010 breakdown is "Black List" 18 (down 6 from 2009), "Grey List" 24 (up 5 from 2009) and "White List" 42 (up 3 from 2009).

New to the "Black List" are Ukraine, Tanzania and Azerbaijan

The EU has now made it illegal for European operated ships to conduct business transactions at six ports in Libya. Lloyd’s List reports today that while the ports remain unnamed, they include Tripoli, Zuara, Zawiyah, al Khoms, Ras Lanuf and Brega. The EU will release the names of the ports tomorrow.

German flag state costs, and government responsibility for those costs, have been a critical discussion point as German shipowners and government officials plan to meet at the national maritime conference in Wilhelmshaven next week.

The ITF has requested a lifting of Turkey's embargo on Cypriot-flagged ships in the hopes of creating more equal opportunities for both Cypriot and Turkish laborers.

Bill Gallagher of the Marshall Islands Registry highlights the important role of flag states have in the shipping industry in an essay originally published in Marine Money's January 2011 issue.

The Paris MOU has introduced a new port state control inspection regime from the 1st of January 2011. This New Inspection Regime (NIR) was developed by the Paris MOU following consultation with the industry on a mechanism to focus Port State Control inspections and to reward quality shipping.