Liberia, the fastest growing major open registry in both shipping and offshore, has established its Offshore and Gas Technology Department, renewing the Registry’s focus in these sectors.
According to an official statement, this department strengthens Liberia’s presence in the offshore and gas sectors and is a response to the Registry’s unprecedented growth in 2018.
Long trusted as a leading “expert flag” in the offshore field, Liberia has formalized its in-house technical and commercial capabilities on the Offshore side with the formal creation of its Offshore and Gas Technology Department at its USA headquarters, comprising members from their global network of industry experts.
This Offshore Department and Gas Technology is headed by Capt. Stephen Bomgardner, an industry expert with experience offshore as a Master/OIM of Drillships and leading industry consultant. The department includes Technical, Safety, and Registrations personnel and capabilities.
Alfonso Castillero, CCO of the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), the US-based manager of the Liberian Registry, says, “The establishment of this department is twofold – to service the exacting requirements of our existing offshore clients, and to keep up with the growth we have experienced in the offshore sector with so much demand for flagging of drillships, rigs, FPSO’s in our Registry.”
Liberian-flag fleet growth has reached an astronomical 9.8 percent growth far surpassing all other flag states. Alfonso Castillero says, “The first half of 2018 has shown what a strong presence the Liberian flag has in the offshore sector, with an increase in market share more than three times that of the next major open registry. This is due in no small measure to the strong fundamental understanding by the registry’s staff – many of whom have practical experience of the offshore industry - of the problems facing this fluctuating sector.”
