A Message From The President
Happy New Year everyone! 2023 is looking like a year of opportunity. This year we celebrate our 75th anniversary and as I look back on our history, I see a true evolution. When I joined the company 32 years ago, we were primarily administrative. Today we offer our clients so much more. Our investment over the years to develop technical expertise and marine safety competence throughout the Registry helps our owners and operators trade their vessels worldwide with confidence. Our excellent port State control record with both the Tokyo and Paris Memorandums of Understanding, and our 18 consecutive years on the United States Coast Guard’s Qualship 21 roster speaks to the high-quality technical and marine safety support we provide to our fleet. Our fleet itself has also evolved. Seventy-five years ago we were a fleet of primarily blue water vessels. In 2000, we brought yachts into our Registry, and today we flag some of the largest, most innovative, and unique yachts on the sea. In addition, we have grown the Registry’s footprint in the offshore and cruise sectors while becoming the largest flag for gas carriers. We have continually evolved to meet the needs of the maritime industry.
IRI’s evolution goes beyond our services and our fleet. Last year we added two new offices: Qingdao, and Vancouver, further expanding local representation across the world. This year we will continue to expand personnel in our global offices, roll out new digital solutions to enhance client services, and find innovative ways to support our clients.
Seventy-five years of evolution has brought us to the cusp of an incredible milestone. The Registry is on target to achieve 200 million gross tons later this year. But evolution in this industry does not stop, it keeps moving forward and we must also. So, while we may take some time this year to celebrate the evolution and developments of the last 75 years, we look forward to adapting to the needs of our clients as we forge forward into the future.
