The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) received preliminary information regarding the United States Coast Guard ’s (USCG ’s ) Qualship 21 list during Intertanko’s North American Panel meeting. The meeting, which took place on day one of the Connecticut Maritime Association’s (CMA’s) Shipping 2016 conference, was the largest attended North American Panel meeting to date.
Rear Admiral Paul Thomas, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, USCG presented the preliminary results showing the RMI on the Qualship 21 list for 2016. While these results are preliminary, the final results will be presented in the USCG’s 2 016 Annual Report scheduled to be released in early summer. There were 26 eligible flag States in 2015 of which 13 fell off the 2016 Qualship 21 preliminary list. The RMI is the only flag State of the three largest that holds this status.
The other flag States that continue on the list include Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Italy, Mexico and the Philippines are new to the 2016 Qualship 21 preliminary list.