Achieved 'Excellent' Ship Safety Management Ratings in Asia-Pacific and the US... Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Expects Activation of National Shipping Activities
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 8th that South Korea will receive the 'Excellent' grade for ship safety management in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States starting from July 1 this year.
The Asia-Pacific Port State Control Memorandum of Understanding and the United States analyze ship inspection results over the past three years within their jurisdictions and announce annual ship safety management grades by country.
The Asia-Pacific region classifies ship safety management grades as Excellent (White), Intermediate (Grey), and Poor (Black), while the United States designates excellent countries as 'Qualship21 (Quality Shipping for 21st Century).' Being designated as Qualship21 provides benefits such as relaxed inspections.
A Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official explained, "Besides these two regions, South Korea is also expected to receive an 'Excellent' grade in Europe, which will be announced around July 1," adding, "If a country's ship safety management grade is high, the inspection intervals for South Korean ships under port state control in that country are extended, and the inspection intensity is reduced, which helps reduce crew fatigue and facilitates smooth ship operations."
On the other hand, if the safety management level is Intermediate (Grey) or below, or if the Qualship21 qualification is lost, inspection intervals become shorter and inspection intensity is strengthened. If a ship is ordered to stop sailing, the operating and business costs for the shipping company increase significantly.
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South Korea has maintained its status as an excellent country in the Asia-Pacific region since 2003. However, although the Qualship21 qualification in the United States had been maintained since 2013, it was lost last year after a Korean-flagged ship was ordered to stop sailing in 2016 due to a malfunction in the fire suppression fuel tank valve device. In response, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been working to restore the excellent grade by preparing and implementing measures to strengthen the safety management of Korean-flagged ships. As a result, in 2019, South Korea regained the Qualship21 qualification in the United States without receiving a single major defect.
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