The flag March 2016

MARCH 2017 • ISSUE 34the ag Newsletter of the BAHAMAS MARITIME AUTHORITYIn this issue: uIMO update uRegulatory challenges facing uWISTA uIncident reporting & uBahamas Shipowners tanker industry investigations Association AGMBAHAMAS SHIPS AT WORLD ENDSRECORDS BROKEN FOR THE FURTHESTSOUTH SAILED BY M/V THE WORLDBahamas registered The World breaks the record for the furthest south sailed, reaching Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf during its 22 day Ross Sea expedition.The private residential ship, carrying 145 residents and 272 crew and adventurers, broke the record on 28 January 2017, reaching 78°43•997´S and 163°41•421´W at the Bay of Whales in Antarctica’s Ross Sea. M/V The World is a 43,188-ton private yacht commanded by Captain Dag H. Saevik; this is now the furthest south any vessel has ever sailed.Commenting on achieving a new record, Captain Dag H. Saevik said: “When we designed this remarkable expedition to the Ross Sea with our residents, that has taken two years of preparation, we hoped that with the right conditions we might be able to reach the ice shelf and set a new record for the most southerly navigation. This voyage of more than 5,000 nautical miles have taken us to the most isolated area of the world.“Explorers like Amundsen, Shackleton and Scott have always been driven to explore the furthest boundaries. However, not many people get to travel to the end of the earth from their own home” remarked Captain Saevik. Few vessels have made the journey to this remote part of Antarctica.MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: CRYSTAL SERENITY COMPLETES 32-DAY NORTHWEST PASSAGE JOURNEYCrystal Cruises becomes first ever luxury cruise line to transit the historically elusive Arctic route; preparations underway for 2017 voyage.More than three years after the inception of the immensely ambitious plan to transit the Northwest Passage, Crystal Cruises’ luxury cruise ship Crystal Serenity completed the epic undertaking. The successful voyage marks the first of its kind made by a large luxury cruise ship. For 32 days and 7,297 nautical miles, more than 1,000 guests and 600 crew members witnessed the remote Arctic waterways and terrain that was inaccessible just over 100 years ago.“We are humbled and thrilled to have completed such a monumental journey” said Edie Rodriguez, CEO and president at Crystal. “As Crystal is constantly seeking new ways to share the world with our guests, the Northwest Passage represents an especially massive undertaking that was made possible by the extreme dedication of our expert destination teamContinued on page 3...u M/VTHEWORLDDURINGROSSSEAEXPEDITION (PHOTO CREDIT – ANDREW PEACOCK)PRESENTATION OF IMO ASSESSMENTIMO Secretary General is presented with The Bahamas assessed 2015 contribution of more than £1 million. L to R Commodore Davy Rolle, CEO & MD, BMA, Kitack Lim, IMO Secretary General, HE Eldred Bethel, Bahamas High Commissioner.Bahamas – Cooperating Non-Contracting Party status to the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)Bahamas Accedes to Bustamante Code