QUALSHIP 21
In our efforts to eliminate substandard shipping, the Coast Guard has primarily focused our energy on improved methods to identify poor-quality vessels (targeting schemes), and to enforce compliance with international and U.S. standards. The quality of vessels visiting U.S. ports has improved over the last 6 years, and hundreds of vessels are typically found with few or no deficiencies. We intend to reward those high-quality ships, and provide incentives to encourage quality operations. This initiative is called QUALSHIP 21.
WHAT IS A QUALITY VESSEL?
For the purpose of QUALSHIP 21, the initial eligibility requirements are:
・ Must be a non-U.S. flagged ship (U.S. flagged vessel initiative under development)
・ No substandard vessel detentions in the U.S. within previous 36 months
(January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2000)
・ No marine violations or serious marine casualties, and no more than one ticket in U.S. within previous 36 months
・ Successful U.S. PSC exam within previous 12 months
・ Not owned or operated by any company that has been associated with any PSC detention in U.S. waters within the previous 24 months
・ Not classed by, or have their statutory Convention Certificate issued by, a targeted class society (Targeted class societies are any class societies that have points assigned in the U.S. Port State Control Matrix)
・ Not registered with a Flag State that has a detention ratio more that 1/3 of the overall U.S. detention ratio and the vessel's Flag State must have at least 10 distinct arrivals in each of the previous 3 years
・ Vessel's Flag State must have submitted their Self-Assessment of Flag State Performance to the IMO and provided a copy to the U.S. Coast Guard
・ The Coast Guard reserves the right to restrict eligibility in the QUALSHIP 21 initiative to any vessel because of special circumstances, including but not limited to, significant overseas casualties or detentions, and pending criminal or civil investigations
INCENTIVES FOR QUALITY VESSELS
・ All ships
・ Qualship 21 Certificate
・ Vessel names posted on U.S. Port State Control Website
