The safety and quality of open registers and a new approach for classifying risky ships

By examining 20 years data, the paper attempts to outline the safety and quality records of open registers, and to establish a relationship of accidental total loss rate with ship quality factors, e.g., certificate, crew performance and equipment indicated by detention rates. It confirms that loss rate, detention rate and age of ships are highly correlated with each other. It shows that the loss rates and detention rates of open registers are above the world average, but with the exception of Liberia, Marshall Islands and Barbados. A new approach is suggested for assessment of ships safety score.