The Isle of Man Ship Registry has reported that Gross Registered Tonnage has increased
by 12% over 2011, from 12.36m GRT at the start of the year to 13.84m GRT, evidence that
vessel registration in the Isle of Man continues to be in high demand.
With registered tonnage at record levels, the Isle of Man is now among
the top fifteen ship registries in the world in terms of registered tonnage.
This demonstrates significant growth in terms of the registration of larger
vessel types, given that the register topped 10m GRT for the first time in its
history in April 2009.
The Ship Registry reported that the Isle of Man has in particular seen increased
demand from companies in the Asia Pacific region, notably Japanese and Singapore-based
corporations.
Dick Welsh, Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry, said:
"The growth in numbers shows that we are well placed to provide a more cost
effective solution for registration without any compromise in quality or service
for ship operators and owners.”
"Having just recovered from the global crisis of 2008, ship owners are bracing
themselves for another rocky year in 2012. An oversupply of ships together with
the global economic downturn is keeping freight rates down and making it difficult
to keep vessels operating profitably in many sectors.”
"The uptake on the flag registration has been encouraging. We are seeing an
increased level of enquiries for vessels under construction or in-service which
are planning to register, or change to Isle of Man registration. This hopefully
will translate to an increased level of activities for us over the next two to three
years especially across the Asia Pacific region.”
Alex Downie, the Department of Economic Development political member with responsibility
for shipping, said:
“2011 was another very successful year for the Ship Registry, despite continuing
global economic pressures. These figures demonstrate that, due to its world
class service and support, the Isle of Man Ship Registry continues to be a flag
of choice for merchant ships. I would like to congratulate the team at the Registry
on this success and for continuing to provide a high level of customer service
throughout this growth period.”
“The ship registry’s high quality and service levels combined with a low cost
fee structure are continuing to attract larger corporations involved in wet
cargo (oil and gas) as well as dry bulk trades. The cost savings offered by
the Isle of Man Ship Registry are significant, especially for their larger vessels.”
Concluding, the Registry said that maintaining the quality of the fleet and
the Isle of Man’s results in the world’s port state control statistics and other
quality benchmarks is paramount to its success. This year once again, the Isle
of Man was recognized by the US Coast Guard and shared top place on the annual
Flag State Performance Table issued by the industry bodies.
LAWANDTAX-NEWS.COM
