By Shelley Shan / Staff Reporter
Taiwan is again on the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding (Tokyo MOU) whitelist this year, the Maritime and Port Bureau said.
The nation, which has been on the whitelist for eight consecutive years, rose from 14th place last year to sixth place this year, the best ranking Taiwan has achieved so far, the bureau said.
The Tokyo MOU is an agreement among 21 nations in the Asia-Pacific region aimed at eliminating substandard shipping through a system of port inspections. It was signed in 1993 and is one of the key regional MOUs under the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Photo courtesy of Taiwan International Ports Corp
Ships from countries on the whitelist are considered lower-risk vessels, require fewer and less frequent inspections, and have a good reputation for compliance.
The US Coast Guard also recently released its annual report, in which Taiwan was once again named a quality flag state, with no record of detained vessels, the bureau said.
All foreign ships arriving at US ports are randomly inspected by the US Coast Guard based on its own risk assessment system, it said.
The US Coast Guard has its own vessel inspection and rating mechanism, separate from other port state control organizations.
Maritime and Port Bureau Director-General Yeh Hsieh-Lung (葉協隆) said that maritime transport plays a critical role in Taiwan’s economic development.
“We remain committed to ensuring the safety and environmental performance of Taiwan-flagged vessels operating in international waters,” he said.
“We would also actively promote the implementation of various conventions adopted by the IMO, continuously enhancing the management efficiency of Taiwan’s merchant fleet and fulfilling our international responsibilities through concrete actions,” he added.