Landmark conference held in Guernsey

Wednesday 13 June 2018

The Red Ensign Group's annual conference has taken place in Guernsey, marking its 30th anniversary and also the first time a representative from every jurisdiction attended in person.

Red Ensign Group members from British Territories across the world meet at the conference to discuss maritime matters of interest, changes in the shipping industry and also to advance processes and systems used around the globe.

Members of the REG include the UK, the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man and Overseas Territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Representatives from all met at the OGH Hotel in Guernsey yesterday.

Sir Alan Massey, co-chair of this conference and a member of the UK's Maritime & Coastguard Agency, said this year's agenda would focus on the upcoming audit of the group by the International Maritime Organisation.

"This is a chance for us to stock take across all of the compliance levels within the industry, including areas of safety like coast guard, search and rescue and ports and harbours," he said.

"This year is particularly special because we have representatives and delegates from all of those areas as well."

Pictured r - l: Guernsey's former Harbour Master, Captain Chad Murray and Sir Alan Massey among delegates at the conference 

Sir Alan said the conference itself acted as an annual milestone "in the road to continuously improving the safety of British shipping".

"The conference works because the debates are honest, we trust and respect each other and the outcomes are binding on all of us. It matters because that kind of honesty and trust only exists where all family members can get around the same table and have an equal voice and vote. Only the REG conference can make that happen.

"Its extra special this year because every single REG member is going to be represented. We don't believe this has happened before in the history of the REG conference."

The REG conference itself began in 1988 as an opportunity for the registrars of the REG to get together to share ideas, harmonise processes and discuss ways forward.

It has grown to include business strategy, policy and safety matters as priorities too.

Chad Murray, who also co-chaired the conference, said it was a real honour for the island to be able to host the anniversary meeting.

"Every member of the group makes a valuable contribution to the whole conference and the work of the REG in general. To be asked to host such an important event in REG life is good for us as a shipping register and for Guernsey as a whole," he said.

Formal proceedings for the Red Ensign Group Conference will run from yesterday (12 June) until tomorrow (14 June).