Marshall Islands now rated as having world's third biggest fleet

THE Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry has become the third largest in the world, according to Clarkson's Offshore Intelligence Monthly, with more than 87 million gross tons and 2,780 vessels registered by the end of October 2012.

Vessel types include oil tankers, LNG/gas carriers, bulk carriers, passenger vessels, container ships and yachts. An increasing group of vessels in the RMI fleet include mobile offshore drilling, production and service units.

Over the past five years the RMI Registry's mobile offshore fleet has grown by 71 per cent in terms of gross tonnage. Several of the world's largest drilling companies have chosen the RMI Registry due to its industry knowledge and outstanding customer service, a statement from parent International Registries Inc said.

Charles McHardy, vice president technical at IRI's Houston office is responsible for the RMI Registry's worldwide offshore fleet. He is heavily involved with the Registry's global offshore customers and joins personnel from Asia, the Middle East, and South America in serving the growing offshore oil and gas industries. A key area of focus is Singapore.

Shawn Tan, country manager of IRI's Singapore office, said: "Singapore is a hub for the offshore industry in the region and home to a growing number of owners as well as technical and financial companies focused on oil and gas operations. For the RMI Registry, it is important to continue supporting the specialised needs of offshore clients in Singapore, a country whose owner and operator base maintains a significant segment of the registry's fleet."