The Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry has announced a temporary change in vessel registration and mortgage recording procedures by allowing remote electronic recording in response to the Covid-19 coronavirus and the near-global work at home policy
The Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry (LISCR) has authorised and implemented allowances to be taken for certain key aspects of the vessel registration and mortgage recording processes to be handled electronically and remotely. It is an unprecedented, yet much-needed measure taken under force majeure, which is a practical alternative solution for activities which are normally done in person.
With numerous health and safety measures being enacted to limit the spread of Covid-19, these once routine transactions now need urgent action and change to facilitate their smooth and uninterrupted completion.
The change to electronic filing relieves shipowners and lawyers having to attend potentially crowded LISCR offices in person in Seoul, Athens and London, while allowing compliance with various local Covid-19 coronavirus restrictions to avoid any unnecessary exposure when possible.
LISCR chief operating officer Alfonso Castillero said, “These measures were a necessity given the gravity of this global crisis. We are all faced with real-world risks, challenges and disruptions. As always, our main commitment is to the health and safety of our staff, and that of our clients and partners. This is one area that we as a leading ship registry are able to call on our immense experience and knowledge to come up with quick, practical solutions to the issues and challenges facing our small part of the larger maritime industry. We know that now more than ever, shipping will be there to supply the world with the goods it needs to recover and get back on track, and we will not sit idly by and let that suffer.”
He noted that as various governments around the world are issuing shutdowns, lock downs and travel restrictions, this could seriously disrupt the documentary process for vessel registrations, mortgage recording and vessel closings. These measures were enacted by the Liberian Registry as a swift solution to this potential risk.
“I want to thank the wonderful team here at the Liberian Registry for seeing this potential issue, and coming up, almost instantly, with a solution. This was done professionally, expeditiously, and in a way that met the needs of the industry before it became a problem,” said Mr Castillero.
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