Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has been authorised by a number of Caribbean flag administrations to perform surveys and issue certificates to small commercial ships operating in the Caribbean.

The development will allow LR to carry out surveys for the code of safety for Caribbean cargo ships (CCSS) and code of safety for small commercial vessels operating in the Caribbean (SCV).

CCSS, which was first adopted in February 1996, is intended for ships that come under 500gt. The authorising administrations are the Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and St Kitts & Nevis.

Conversely, SCV applies to vessels up to 24m-long and the administrations are the Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago and St Kitts & Nevis. The SCV code was adopted in May 2010.

Lloyd’s Register Trinidad office lead surveyor and marine management systems auditor Wendel George said: "This has been quite a significant achievement as LR is the first class society to undertake any of this work on behalf of these flag administrations.

"Our approach to surveying and the convenience of getting all of their needs met by one person with a consistent interpretation of the regulations, as well as providing these certificates on behalf of the flag administrations, was very important to our clients."

The codes were developed as a result of the Caribbean memorandum of understanding with the support of the International Maritime Organization and other flag administrations, including the US Coast Guard.

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Image: Surveyor Umar Ali from LR’s Trinidad office carries out an inspection of the tugboat Trafalgar. Photo: courtesy of Lloyd’s Register Group Services Limited.