TThe IRI/Marshall Islands Registry is poised for further growth, with quality in mind, over the coming years. Reflecting on the changes of the past 20 years and today’s challenges, Mr. Theophilos Xanakoudis, Commercial Director and General Manager of IRI/Marshall Islands Registry, Piraeus Office, said in an exclusive interview with Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide: “Twenty years ago, communication was different and ship owners and operators looked to the flag state as a regulator. Today, we are a strategic partner, bridging the needs and requirements of stakeholders such as port state control, coastal authorities, classification (class) societies and international bodies, with the reality that It is faced by owners, operators and shipyards.
How important is it for shipowners to have the necessary support from their own registry, in this case from the Marshall Islands, in times of crises such as those in the Middle East? What steps have you taken over the past few weeks?
During times of crisis and conflict, owners and operators need to make quick decisions that can have a significant impact on their fleet, their ships, and the safe passage of goods and seafarers. At times like these, support from the registry can become crucial. The Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Registry acts as a strategic partner, not only in compliance, but also in enabling smart and successful operations in all operating environments. RMI offers owners and operators technical expertise, operational guidance, global resources, and trusted real-time information from a large network of partners and stakeholders across the industry, and the RMI Registry serves as a strategic partner. International Registries, Inc. owns and its affiliates (IRI), which provide administrative and technical support to the RMI Registry, have a dedicated Maritime Security (MARSEC) team that coordinates, cooperates and interacts with coalition navies, industry associations, NGOs, governments, clearinghouses and intergovernmental organizations around the world. This team, accessible to owners and operators of RMI-flagged vessels 24/7/365, provides timely security intelligence and guidance. Over the past few weeks, the MARSEC team has relied heavily on partnerships and strategic stakeholder relationships to support the active flow of reliable, accurate and timely information to protect the safe operation of the vessel. In calmer times, owners and operators rely on the MARSEC team to provide threat assessments, data and trend analysis for proactive risk mitigation, situational awareness and global insights.
Theophilos Xanakoudis, Chief Commercial Officer and General Manager
How has the nature of your work evolved over time? How different is the situation today than it was 20 years ago? What are the main drivers of change?
The role of the flag state has changed significantly over the past 20 years as the maritime industry has become more complex and interconnected. Twenty years ago, communication was different and ship owners and operators looked to the flag state as a regulator. Today, we are a strategic partner, meeting the needs and requirements of stakeholders such as port state control, coastal authorities, classification (class) societies, and international bodies, with the reality faced by owners, operators and shipyards. Technological advances have made us more interconnected than ever before and have completely changed the way we think about the global maritime industry.
Highlighting the most important developments that IRI has witnessed over the past two years, which would you choose?
We have always focused on customer service. Our goal is to ensure we give customers a variety of ways to engage, interact, and get the support they need from the RMI registry. From expanding our dedicated teams with technical experts from around the world, to ensuring we have the right resources in our 28 offices around the world, we have invested in strengthening our team in numbers as well as in reach and capabilities. We’ve also invested heavily in building smart, efficient digital solutions to support customer service at the speed of the 21st century. From new digital tools to support efficient and improved inspections to the ability to verify seafarers’ documents online, we aim to keep customer operations consistently smooth and seamless.
How do you see AI fitting into shipping nations and flag nations in particular? How does the Marshall Islands Registry embrace new technologies?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already being widely used in the shipping industry to enhance efficiency, safety and ship operation. Artificial intelligence is being used to analyze data and trends across the fleet, which has helped quickly identify areas of concern or growing interest. For example, our technical team logs every technical request in its technical dashboard. Using AI, we can quickly and efficiently identify trends in technical requests and evaluate whether we need to deploy additional resources or provide different support. Many owners and operators of RMI-flagged vessels are using AI for voyage optimization, predictive maintenance, and even autonomous shipping. As a flag state, we help clients evaluate and select tools that best fit their strategic objectives while maintaining compliance with current regulations. The Permanent Delegation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) actively participates in all meetings of the Committee, Subcommittees and Working Groups, recently contributed to improving the maritime accident investigation module of the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) database and led the final stages of development of a non-prescriptive target-based tool for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS).
Shipping navigates a regulatory environment that is more complex than ever before. Can you give us an idea of what to expect going forward on issues like decarbonisation?
The RMI Register supports owners and operators in structuring and developing compliance strategies for regulatory frameworks, including those relating to fuel and energy standards. Given the wide range of emerging technologies and solutions, we have built experienced, technically specialized teams to specifically meet the needs of owners and operators to evaluate renewable energy and oil/gas solutions to meet these future regulatory frameworks. These teams work closely with owners and operators of RMI-flagged vessels to balance technical feasibility and commercial viability with upcoming regulatory change. Having a knowledgeable and capable partner can make a difference in managing the complexities of the regulatory environment and the plethora of innovative technologies coming to market.
Nikos Rousanoglou, Global Hellenic Shipping News
