THE Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) experienced another year of strong growth in 2011 up 20 per cent in gross tons (GT) reaching 78 million tons.

Japanese shipowners represent the RMI's fifth largest shipowning group with the Japanese-owned fleet increasing by 20 per cent (+1.3 million tons) against total registration of Asian offices at 6.4 million tons for 2011.

The opening of an office in Imabari, Japan, a year ago has supported Japanese owners with 15 ships registered since it opened a year ago, said president of International Registries, Bill Gallagher, one of its fastest growing shipowning groups.

"IRI's decentralised office structure allows owners to interact with the Registry around-the-clock and routinely work with maritime professionals in their own regions who speak the local language. The registry built its foundation on providing industry-leading service, efficiency, and quality," said representative Masaharu Okamoto of International Registries (Far East) Limited Japan Branch.

"A recent challenge for the registry includes the voluntary implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 [MLC 2006], which is anticipated to come into force sometime in 2013. The RMI has also established a period of voluntary compliance for the inspection and certification provisions of the MLC 2006," said the statement.

"The registry has issued 235 Declarations of Maritime Labour Compliance (DMLC), Part I and 63 Statements of Compliance," said Bill Gallagher. "The RMI Maritime Administrator encourages all shipowners/operators of RMI flagged vessels to utilise this period of voluntary compliance to establish measures to meet the MLC, 2006 inspection and certification requirements."

The RMI registry is ranked as the third largest in the world at 2,634 vessels and nearly 81 million gross tons in the first quarter 2012. The RMI is the only major open registry to be included on the White Lists of both the Paris and Tokyo Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and to hold Qualship 21 status with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for seven consecutive years, said the registry statement.