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Peter Wong, Managing Director

Tradition of Quality

IRI Hong Kong provides a 24-hour, worldwide service for Marshall Islands’ vessel and corporate registrations and operational matters

During the past several years International Registries, Inc. (IRI) and its group of affiliated companies, which administer the Marshall Islands ship registry, have been decentralising operations to provide customers with 24-hour worldwide service for vessel and corporate registrations and operational matters. A major component in the decentralisation programme has been the upgrading of IRI’s Hong Kong office, International Registries (Far East) Limited, to full service capability.

Established in 1974, the Hong Kong office, headed by Managing Director Peter W L Wong, provides personalised customer service administered by a competent professional staff. Its strategic location enables all IRI customers to have an online full service contact point when IRI offices in Europe and the United States may be closed. To improve customer contact in the region, representatives have been appointed in Singapore, Tokyo, Shanghai and Dalian, with further appointments expected in Mumbai, Manila and Taipei.

Complete documentation
With 24-hour access to the IRI worldwide computer network, the Hong Kong office can produce complete documentation for a Marshall Islands corporation, prepare all of the certificates required for registration of a Marshall Islands flagged vessel, and issue any certificates an existing registered vessel might urgently need without delay. Company name searches for Marshall Islands corporations can be conducted and corporate documents can be filed in ‘real time’.

To further enhance the Hong Kong office operations, Hong Kong-based Johnson, Stokes & Master (JSM) became the first law firm in Asia to provide services under the legal system of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Leading maritime lawyer and JSM Partner Alastair MacAulay has been officially admitted to practice law in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

“Above all, we believe that the Marshall Islands flag is here to stay,” says Mr MacAulay. “It provides a more stable environment than many other states and is certainly a responsible jurisdiction.”

IRI and the Marshall Islands ship registry are rapidly growing, and as Bill Gallagher, President of IRI, recently said, “Over the past two years we have been decentralising our vessel registration operations by creating full service offices around the world. This decentralisation has helped the registry double in growth. We achieved our goal of reaching 15m gross tonnes and 500 vessels by the end of 2002, and have set a new target of 20m gross tonnes for 2004. We are now bracketed with other large registries such as those of Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong.”

Maintaining high standards
Maintaining and improving the quality of the fleet has overcome the challenge of doubling the size of the registry. “We have done so by investing heavily in maritime expertise and a sophisticated computer system, both factors that place a special emphasis on checking the safety record of vessels and operators before they join the registry,” Mr Gallagher says.

The Marshall Islands are among the lowest detention leaders in port state statistics issued by the Paris and Tokyo MOUs and the US Coast Guard. The Marshall Islands Quality Council (MIQC), comprised of 15 members including owners and other leading representatives of the international maritime community, has been invaluable in helping the registry maintain these high standards and close links with the industry.

In addition, the Marshall Islands are in the vanguard of registries providing the IMO with active support. Recent activity includes ratification of Annex VI to Marpol, co-sponsoring the IMO’s proposed voluntary flag state audit scheme, and full participation in the development of a new maritime security regime.

Quality registration services
The most important asset is customers, and the Marshall Islands registry has the ability to provide them with full service from any office 24-hours-a-day. The Hong Kong office plays an essential role in daily operations by providing quality vessel and corporate registration services, whenever and wherever they may be required.

IRI and its affiliates are proud of the excellent service they provide to the international business community and look forward to continuing to be at the forefront of vessel and corporate registrations and operational matters.

Website: www.register-iri.com

www.register-iri.com