IRI Relocates and Expands Istanbul Office
International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI), who provide administrative and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) maritime and corporate registries relocated and expanded its Istanbul office in early October of this year. The new location of the Istanbul office is Inonu Cad. Indigo Apt. N: 41, Kat:3 D:5 Gumussuyu. The office is operated by Ms. Basak Gokkilic, Business Development Manager and Captain Ozgur Asik, Marine Manager. This expansion is testament to IRI’s commitment to meet the needs of the increasing customer base in Turkey, said Theo Xenakoudis, Worldwide Business Operations Officer for IRI, based in Piraeus. Turkish interests control nearly 3% of RMI registered vessels and consists of 4% of the Registry’s tonnage. The RMI is listed among the top flags in Turkish shipping, together with the Turkish and Maltese flags,” continued Mr. Xenakoudis.
The Istanbul office is one of 23 worldwide offices maintained by the RMI Registry which affords 24/7 service to shipowners and operators. The Istanbul office is not only able to register vessels and record mortgages but can also issue certificates, incorporate a company, and provide technical, marine safety and inspection support and service clientele. With the expertise of Capt. Asik, owners/operators are able to speak with a local contact regarding port State control related issues and are able to engage with respect to routine technical matters, said Mr. Xenakoudis.
“Service to our customers and the quality of the fleet both play critical roles in choice of flag among today’s discerning shipowners. With a growing registry of more than 75 million gross tons and over 2,500 registered vessels, providing full service offices in key locations worldwide translates into greater efficiency and cost savings for our owners,” said Bill Gallagher, President of IRI.
The RMI Registry is one of the world’s premier quality maritime registries that is globally recognized as a modern and efficient administration and is noted for its contributions to the safety and security of shipping and efforts to protect the marine environment. The RMI Registry is the third largest in the world, surpassing 75 million gross tons at the end of September 2011. Vessel types, among others, include oil tankers, LNG/gas carriers, bulk carriers, container ships, mobile offshore drilling units, passenger vessels and yachts. The quality of the fleet can be measured by the RMI’s white list status on both the Paris and Tokyo Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) and the RMI has met the Low Risk Ships classification criteria of the Paris MoU’s New Inspection Regime. The RMI has also qualified for the United States Coast Guard Qualship 21 roster for the seventh consecutive year. An active and well respected member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since 1986, the RMI has ratified and implemented all the key international conventions and instruments. The RMI’s industrious contribution toward advancing quality shipping is widely recognized.
