VMS Ltd. maintains offices in London, New York, Hongkong, Singapore, Athens, Yokohama and Port Vila to take care of a fleet of more than 500 vessels currently on the international register. Crews for these vessels are recruited internationally and Vanuatu recognises qualifications issued by the administrations of other countries for service in Vanuatu flag vessels
Vanuatu, as a member of the International Maritime Organisation, retains a full time consultant in London to ensure its interests are fully represented.
Vanuatu also licences foreign-flag fishing vessels to operate in its waters. Training for ni-Vanuatu crew employed aboard these vessels used to take place at a purpose-built Fisheries Training Centre in Luganville. Although the number of ni-Vanuatu fishermen has declined, some 200 are reported to be still in employment
Shipping Reform in Vanuatu
Major changes in international maritime affairs, including the 1995 amendments to the STCW Convention and the advent of the ISM Code, together with a Vanuatu Government Corporate Reform Program aimed at divesting the government of commercial activities and enforcing transparency and accountablility, heralded reform of the Vanuatu shipping industry.
As part of the reform two major initiatives were introduced:
1. The Vanuatu Maritime Authority was created as a Statutory Corporation and charged with the administration of legislation applying to shipping on the domestic and international registers.
This Authority, with a Chief Executive who also assumes the role of Commissioner of Maritime Affairs, was vested with wide-ranging regulatory and licensing powers concerning the seaworthiness of ships and the certification of seafarers, and major responsibilities for flag and port state issues, search and rescue matters, and marine pollution prevention and control.
2. The Vanuatu Maritime College was registered as a company and charged with all matters concerning the training and assessment of seafarers.
The College was given the responsibility to provide training, to appropriate standards, for all seafarers aboard domestic shipping, for fishermen aboard domestic and foreign-flag fishing vessels and for ni-Vanuatu seafarers seeking employment aboard commercial vessels trading internationally.
It is important to note that the Vanuatu Maritime Authority and the Vanuatu Maritime College see their respective roles as complementary and are committed to improving safety at sea and the prevention of marine pollution by ensuring that all Vanuatu flag vessels are seaworthy and appropriately registered, that all seafarers aboard Vanuatu flag vessels are properly trained and certificated, and that all ni-Vanuatu seafarers and fishermen working aboard foreign-flag vessels are properly trained and certificated.
