Maritime Cook Islands Makes Progress to be on Tokyo MOU White List

The Cook Islands flag, operated by ship registry Maritime Cook Islands (MCI), has shown positive flag state performance, as reported in the latest report on Port State Control in the Asia Pacific Region by Tokyo MOU.

 

PORT STATE INSPECTIONS PER FLAG

Year	Flag	No. of inspections	No. of inspections with deficiencies	No. of deficiencies	No. of detentions
2016	Cook Islands	40	27	181	2
2017	Cook Islands	33	20	116	2

Source: Tokyo MOU Annual Report (2016/2017)

In the recently published report, Cook Islands reported a decrease in the number of inspections with deficiencies; from 27 in 2016 to 20 in 2017. Number of deficiencies has also seen a significant decrease from 181 in 2016 to 116 in 2017.

 

SUMMARY OF PORT STATE INSPECTIONS DATA

Year	Excess factor
2014 – 2016	0.87
2015 - 2017	0.60

Source: Tokyo MOU Annual Report (2016/2017)

The report also showed a significant decrease in the flag’s 3-year excess factor from 0.87 in 2016 to 0.60 in 2017.

Another Flag State Performance Table by The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) which was released earlier this year also showed positive progress by the flag.

The table presents performance of individual flag states, analysing each flag administration’s performance based on several criteria including Port State Control records, ratification of international maritime conventions, use of Recognised Organisations complying with A.739, attendance at IMO meetings and newly-added criteria on participation in ‘IMO Member State Audit Scheme’.

Under the IMO criteria, the table above indicates Cook Islands’ effective adherence to all applicable mandatory IMO instruments covered by the IMO Audit Scheme, as well as Cook Islands’ commitment to the implementation and enforcement of IMO rules – reflected in the regular attendance of Capt. Ian Finley, Cook Islands Ambassador and Permanent Representative to IMO, at major IMO meetings.

In terms of reporting requirements, Cook Islands shows full compliance with ILO reporting obligations and demonstrated full and complete effect to the relevant provisions of the STCW Convention. The flag is included in the latest STCW ‘white list’as approved by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee.

Cook Islands also maintains a low average age of fleet and has established the use of recognised organisations, authorised to conduct survey work on their behalf, that comply with Resolution A.739.

MCI CEO Glenn Armstrong said today that the ship registry’s newly-enhanced technical department, through more rigorous flag state inspection regime, look towards bringing down the number of inspections with deficiencies further.

He added that the progress made by MCI for the past year is encouraging and the ship registry is hopeful about getting on the Tokyo MOU White List.