Port state

The website provides access to information and activities of the regulatory authorities for Europe and Canada known as the Paris MOU on Port State Control.

In an economic environment that seems to result in nothing but cost increases, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation is bucking the trend by announcing that tolls would remain the same for 2011.

In November, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) withdrew a proposal that if passed, would have allowed foreign vessels to transport well-head assemblies to U.S. ports under the pretenses that these assemblies would be considered "vessel equipment" rather than "merchandise" and therefore, foreign vessels delivering them would not be in violation of the Jones Act.

The U.S. Coast Guard has established a formal policy regarding the banning of substandard vessels from its waters.

A policy requiring Polish seafarers working aboard the Norwegian International Register (NIS) to pay Polish income taxes, effective January 1, 2011, raises questions about the future of open registry labor policies.

Scott Bergeron of the Liberian Registry emphasizes that investing in a flag state with a caliber record will reduce likelihood of shipowner costs in the long term and addresses issues the maritime registry community faces today.

The European Union will introduce new port state inspection policies effective January 1, 2011 to increase safety and reduce risks of environmental damage.

Laura Sherman of the Marshall Islands Registry discusses how Greece's expected lifting of cabotage laws for cruise vessels should benefit their flag and the shipping market as a whole.

India's Ministry of Shipping now permits national shipowners to charter foreign flag vessels in order to further develop the nation's shipping and cargo industries.

Greece has restructured its cruise law to allow vessels registered in all flag states to enter its ports.