MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Red Ensign Group Conference held in Jersey this month

Some 80 delegates from all sixteen REG maritime administrations, including the Falklands, attended to discuss a range of standards and processes prominent within the maritime sector.

Jersey hosted the annual Red Ensign Group, (REG) (35th) conference this month. From sustainability to greener shipping and innovation, future maritime strategies were under the spotlight at this year’s event.

The conference, which oversees and upholds maritime safety standards across the thirteen British Shipping Registers, is meeting to discuss best practice and to look at ways of improving the performance of the Registers internationally.

The event brings together those who are directly involved with maritime and coastal state responsibilities in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies who make up the Red Ensign Group.

Around 80 delegates from all sixteen REG maritime administrations attended and they discusses a range of standards and processes prominent within the maritime sector.

The event opened with a ceremony led by Jersey’s Harbor Master, Captain Bill Sadler: “Jersey is proud to be hosting this year’s REG conference and I am pleased to welcome all the delegates to our Island. It’s important that we continue to work together to enhance the quality and reputation of the British fleet.”

Red Ensign Group members discussed maritime matters of interest at the conference, which also included sessions on the roles and responsibilities of Coastal States. It also tackled issues such as de-carbonization, counter pollution and environmental concerns.

The REG conference began in 1988 as an opportunity for the registrars of the REG to get together to share ideas, harmonize processes and discuss ways forward. Since then it has expanded to cover seafarer welfare and regulatory matters as well as coastal preparedness including search and rescue and pollution response.

Every year it is held at different locations, reflecting the geography of the Red Ensign Group. REG consists of the UK, the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man and Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. There are also delegates attending from the non-ship registry Overseas Territories of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha.

Any vessel registered in the UK, a Crown Dependency or UK Overseas Territory, is a British ship and is entitled to fly the Red Ensign flag.