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- I. The Liberia Maritime Program
- II. The Ship Registry
- III. Capacity Building & Job Placement
- IV. Marine Safety & Environment
- V. Maritime Acronyms
I. The Liberia Maritime Program
When was the Liberia Maritime Program established?
The Liberia Maritime Program was established in 1948.
What is the purpose of the BMA and what is its major function?
The BMA is an autonomous agency of government within the Executive Branch under the direct supervision of the President of the Republic of Liberia. It is responsible for the administration of the Liberia Maritime Program, including control over the coastal waters of Liberia and the fishing vessels that operate in our coastal waters.
What is the current status of the Liberia Maritime Program?
The Liberia Maritime Program, currently in a phase of re-branding, is quite active and growing. The Program, through the Bureau of Maritime Affairs and its agent the Liberia International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR), is ranked #1 in the world for safety, customer service, and quality, and owns the world’s second largest ship registry.
It has been stated that the Bureau of Maritime Affairs (BMA) is currently undergoing re-branding. What are some of the anticipated outputs?
The Liberia Maritime Program, established in 1948, had the premier ship registry in the world in terms of gross tonnage. As a result of the civil crisis in the 1990s, the registry slipped to number two as Liberia lost fleets to its competitors. With the ascendancy of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first-elected female president, the registry is realizing increased growth and other aspects of the Maritime Program has received more international support. To help strategically drive this growth, President Johnson Sirleaf has appointed a new Commissioner, who has initiated a re-branding effort. This effort will position the Program to be the premier global provider that delivers “Best in Class” customer service through a diversified offering of exceptional value-based Maritime–related products and services, and a pre-eminent driving force of the Liberian national economy, developing avenues for strategic partnerships and infrastructural development directly related to the growth objectives of the Liberian Government.
II. The History of Maritime in Liberia
When was the Liberian Registry established?
The Liberian Registry was established in 1948 by former U.S. Secretary of State Edward Stettinius. It is recognized as one of the foremost open ship and corporate registries and has seen tremendous growth supported by first-rate shipowners throughout its long history. It is also one of the few open ship registries with an independent association of shipowners, known as the Liberian Shipowners’ Council, a member of the International Chamber of Shipping.
Does the Liberian Government directly operate the Registry?
No, the BMA currently uses the services of the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR) as its agent to aid the Government in the management of the Liberian Registry and to administer the provisions of the Liberia Maritime laws, including the collection of the maritime tonnage tax, and all other fees, charges and other exactions payable to the government with respect to ships registered under the laws of Liberia. Since its inception, the Liberian Registry has been operated from the United States; this provides the Registry the ability to participate in the international arena with key industry institutions such as the U. S. Coast Guard.
The Registry is operated from the United States. Are there other offices around the world?
Yes, Liberia maintains offices in such places as the United Kingdom (London), Switzerland, Greece, China (Hong Kong) and Japan (Tokyo), to assist in the operation of the Registry. In the United States, the offices are in Virginia and New York.
The BMA also has a Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization in London, United Kingdom.
What are some of the Registry’s responsibilities?
The Liberian Registry is a sovereign maritime jurisdiction responsible for the registration, regulatory enforcement, and safety of ocean-going ships. The Registry establishes identification details for ships and records legally enforceable documents, such as mortgages and bills of sale. The Registry is also responsible for the enforcement of maritime treaties, including Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS); prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); and the Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for seafarers (STCW). The ship Registry runs in parallel with the Liberian Corporate Registry, which performs the same functions as the corporate registration service of any other government.
III. Capacity Building & Job Placement
Liberia’s national economy is in a state of recovery and there is a high unemployment rate. What are some of the plans for the reopening of the Liberia Marine Training Institute (LMTI) and what do we anticipate for the Liberian work force?
The reopening of the Liberia Marine Training institute (LMTI) is a high priority on the national agenda of the present Government. Presently, operating under the auspices of the Bureau of Maritime Affairs, LMTI is challenged with the timely revitalization of the infrastructure and facilities, and the commencement of effective training of seafarers. Reconstruction is therefore, necessary and important to bring to fruition the goal and vision of creating a worldclass, top quality, nation-wide training program to meet the growing and critical needs of seafarers with the requisite knowledge, skills, discipline and associated credentials to perform within a competitive seafaring work force world-wide.
The outbreak of the Liberia civil crisis which lasted nearly two decades, forced the closure of the institute in 1989. Consequently, the infrastructure and facilities including all the equipment, tools and materials were destroyed.
The pressing goal of the LMTI is to begin the training of entry-level seafarers; after which, it will expand into a world-class training facility for ratings and ultimately, officer-level training. Targeted for 2009, the Institute will become fully operational for the training of seafarers.
How does the BMA assist seafarers with training and placement on board vessels?
The BMA assists in the training of seafarers by organizing short-term training programs. The objective is to up- grade their abilities in line with Standards the Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for seafarers (STCW-95), which calls for training and retraining of seafarers every four years.
The specific areas of training are as follows:
- Elementary first aid basic,
- Fire fighting and prevention,
- Personal survival techniques and
- Personal safety and social responsibilities.
Placement opportunities are sought through negotiations with various companies. Some of the companies that have hired Liberian seafarers in the recent past are Stock Nelson and Oldendolf.
How is the BMA helping to ensure that young Liberians are getting trained in Maritime-related courses?
The Bureau of Maritime Affairs strives to empower young Liberians in the maritime sector by identifying high potential talent, ensuring they have access to quality training and placing them in appropriate positions in the Liberian workforce. Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to the most talented students so they may represent Liberia at accredited institutions, such as the Regional Maritime University (RMU) in Ghana, the World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden and the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta.
IV. Marine Safety & Environment
What is the BMA doing regarding maritime safety?
Liberia, being a signatory to all major IMO safety Conventions and Protocols, has the full responsibility to implement these laws. In this regard, the BMA has instituted several measures in conformity with the IMO conventions and protocols of Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) and Marine Pollution (MARPOL). The Registry is responsible for the enforcement of maritime treaties, including Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS); prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL); and the Standards for Training, Certification and Watch keeping for seafarers (STCW).
In addition, the Liberian registry is the first, and so far, the only major open registry to have trained a world-wide network of leading auditors in both International Safety Management (ISM) and International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code). By harmonizing the overlapping requirements of these International Codes, the Liberian registry seeks to provide shipowners convenient, efficient and cost-effective certification services.
For your convenience, below please find some key maritime related acronyms.
BMA – Bureau of Maritime Affairs
LISCR – Liberian Ship and Corporate Registry
MOWCA – Maritime Organization for West and Central Africa
IMO – International Maritime Organization
ITF – International Transport Federation
ILO – International Labor Organization
ISPS – International Ship and Port Security
EPA – Environmental Protection Agency
MRCC – Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center
LMTI – Liberia Marine Training Institute
RMU – Regional Maritime University
GMATS – Global Maritime and Transport School
PSC – Port State Control
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