Marshall Islands registry adds 2 offices

Marshall Islands registry adds 2 offices    International Registries Inc., the administrator of the Marshall Islands Maritime and Corporate Registries, has opened offices in Houston and Dubai.
   'Opening offices simultaneously in Houston and Dubai is testimony to the obvious link that exists between these two markets and their importance to the Marshall Islands Registry,' said Bill Gallagher, IRI president, in a statement.
   Over the past five years, there has been an average of 430 Marshall Islands vessels calling at ports in the United Arab Emirates and 695 Marshall Islands vessels calling at ports in Texas per year. The registry has noted increased interest from ship owners in both regions.
   At the end of the first quarter of 2009, IRI's registry stood at more than 1,990 vessels and 48.2 million gross tons with more than 61 percent of the fleet involved in the energy sector of the shipping industry.