The Maritime and Port Bureau (MPB), MOTC has been working hard together with the CR Classification Society and ocean carrier businesses to maintain the international image of ROC-flag vessels, and to contribute to the safety of navigation across global waters as well as environmental protection. The Tokyo MOU organization announced this year (2019) that the performance of ROC-flag vessels’ seaworthiness management has proudly been added to the "white list".
Director-General Hsieh Wei-Chun of MPB, MOTC states that, since the new inspection mechanism passed at the 23rd Tokyo MOU Port State Control Committee (abbreviated as PSCC) meeting on January 1, 2014 came into effect, the MPB has been continuously improving the performance of ROC-flag vessel seaworthiness management. MPB has also displayed the determination to keep up with the trends in the current international maritime field to elevate the competitiveness of our flag vessels.
The MPB, MOTC has been working hard on keeping "performance of ROC-flag vessel seaworthiness management" consistently listed in the white list of Tokyo MOU. Starting from January of last year (2018), CR Classification Society and ocean carrier businesses have been continuously invited to the "2018 Performance Review Meetings on the Refining and Strengthening of National Vessel Inspection Operations". They've achieved consensus on action refinement and the strengthening of nationality control and inspection operations. High-risk flag vessels and management companies with "low" or "very low" ISM performances have been consulted and audited on a regular basis.
Director-General Hsieh Wei-Chun of MPB, MOTC states that, through 2 years of hard work, the number of times that a ROC-flag vessel has been detained by the Tokyo MOU went from 7 vessels in 2016 to 2 vessels in 2017, then only 1 vessel last year (2018), achieving a performance much lower than the average of the Tokyo MOU. On April 23 this year (2019), Tokyo MOU organization announced that Taiwan’s performance of flag vessel seaworthiness management got proudly added to the "white list” of the Tokyo MOU. Not only has this elevated Taiwan’s international image, but also lowered the chances of ocean carriers getting inspected in foreign countries (port state control), reducing the operational costs of ocean carriers.
Using a rolling wave planning approach, MPB, MOTC will continue to review flag vessel inspection mechanisms. While the goal is to elevate Taiwan's maritime competitiveness, the navigation safety of ROC-flag vessels will also be strengthened.
Contact Person: Lin Kuan-Hung, Section Chief, Vessel Management Division
Contact Number: (02)8978-6296