St Kitts & Nevis Ship Registry (SKANReg) has made a sea change in its fundamental operations. Buoyed by its significant elevation to a mid-point in the Paris MoU Grey list last year, the Registry has deliberately turned away from ever increasing tonnage numbers to focus on quality of its registered vessels. Despite the Pandemic and the new policy, 2021 showed a net vessel gain of 68.
However, the net tonnage registered figure reduced by 468,598 tons. Pleasingly this has resulted in vessels being of significantly higher quality than was the case in past years and this policy will remain in effect going forward.
Allied to the focus on quality, SKANReg has significantly expanded its range of services offered to Owners. The placement of staff in India and South-East Asia now ensures availability spans most of the World’s time zones.
And Company incorporation services within the Nevis jurisdiction were introduced late in 2021 providing ship owners with a one-stop ‘package’. In addition, SKANReg’s appointed flag state inspectors are now being made available – at the Owners’ cost – should they need an independent opinion on the technical status of their ship with the added benefit of the Flag’s co-operation on anything found needing special attention.
Allied to the new quality drive, during 2022 focus will also be directed towards safety and building the best status within the Middle East and other regions. Also, vessel inspections will increase to ensure standards are maintained – indeed enhanced – with a similar Concentrated Inspection Campaigns (CIC) programme run by PSC MoUs to focus on commonly recorded defects.
Already all vessels on the Registry are processed through due diligence that analyses the vessel risks and examines the make-up of its ownership and management. St Kitts & Nevis is, of course, a member of the Commonwealth and supports and strengthens proper governance, promotes justice and human rights.
SKANReg’s International Registrar of Shipping & Seamen & CEO Liam Ryan commented: “SKANReg is ISO 9001:2015 certified and has established a network of more than 40 Maritime Registrars.
“This network enables easy and efficient local contact with a client with the bonus they can carry out ship and mortgage registrations in their own time zone, own language and with minimum hassle. With fixed fees for registration and ‘no hidden extras’, clients can be assured their budget will not be subject to unforeseen charges.”
Recent years’ statistics chart the significant improvements achieved in the number of inspections and detentions: 2019 – 33/3; 2020 – 34/0; 2021 – 45/4. These numbers bode well for the future – which for SKANReg remains bright. While currently a grey list country, it still aims to make the white list within a few years.
Concluding, Ryan saidd: “Our attention now focuses on keeping these numbers consistently low with quality not quantity our watchword. In addition, we seek to obtain acceptance of the Flag with leading Banks and Private Equity Firms, thereby assisting ship owners with their existing mortgages, or wishing to obtain finance to re-activate vessels to trade under the St Kitts & Nevis Flag.”
