Equasis agreement signed

A database called Equasis that contains safety-related information on the world?s merchant fleet will be accessible on the Internet from May. So far and the European Commission, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Singapore are signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding, while the US Coast Guard and Japan have expressed their intention to join.

The formation of Equasis comes from the European Commission and UK Government Quality Shipping campaign, launched by in November 1997. This aims at voluntarily engaging shipowners, cargo owners, insurers, brokers, classification societies and others in the effort to improve maritime safety.

Equasis will contain information from Port State inspection and detention, class, insurance, industry inspection schemes and quality organisations.

The Internet address of Equasis will be . A user-fee will be charged, although subscription free-of-charge during 2000.