Editor’s Foreword
We are pleased to bring you the 37th edition of The Flag newsletter, with the latest updates from The Bahamas Maritime Authority, along with insightful contributions from our global partners. …
Update from Capt. Dwain Hutchinson – All eyes on seafarers, green shipping and tech
Firstly, I hope that everyone has had a positive, productive and most importantly healthy first few months of the year. For my latest update, I’ll cover the three issues that…
Minister meets IMO Secretary General in first official overseas engagement
Following the general election in The Bahamas and the appointment of the Hon JoBeth Coleby-Davis as The Minister of Transport & Housing, The BMA was honoured that her first official…
Introducing The BMA’s new board of directors
A new board has been appointed for The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA), featuring leading figures from the shipping industry including Jacqueline M. Simmons as Chairman. Jacqueline M. Simmons is joined…
A Message from The Bahamas Shipowners Association (BSA)
I have always found writing a message for the BMA Flag something enjoyable, being able to share thoughts on developments both in shipping as such, but of course also on…
Seapeak rebrand starts with the renaming of The Seapeak Vancouver
Further to the recent acquisition of Teekay LNG Partners L.P. by US Investment Firm, Stonepeak, the re-brand as Seapeak is well underway with the first vessel re-naming ceremony complete. The…
BMA Asia interview with Tanker Shipping and Trade
While Singapore often takes centre stage as the regional hub, Hong Kong has long held a strong position due to its long-term links with shipping and the powerhouse that is…
BMA announces agreement for representation in South Korea
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) announces that it has signed an agreement with Ben Line Agencies to establish representation in South Korea, one of the world’s leading ship-building and ship-owning…
The BMA: steering towards a sustainable future
As challenges go, significantly cutting the shipping industry’s carbon footprint by 2050 is a big one. A sector powered by fossil fuels must learn to build a new generation of…
Every Action Counts!
There are a staggering 5.25 trillion macro and micro pieces of plastic in our oceans, which equates to 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up to 269,000…
The United States Coast Guard once again recognises the quality of The Bahamas Flag
The Bahamas has once again been recognised by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) through its Qualship 21 programme (Quality Shipping for the 21st Century). The Flag’s consistent adherence to…
The Bahamas continues to be at the forefront of safety initiatives in the offshore sector
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) is proud to be part of a working group, brought together by one of The Bahamas recognised Classification Societies, American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), which…
The BMA recognises its first seafarer mental health training course
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) today announces that it has recognised the Seafarer Mental Health Awareness and Wellbeing course offered by Isca Wellbeing as complying with the requirements set out…
Paris MoU ranking consolidates The Bahamas’ position as a top registry
The 2021 performance listings of the Paris MoU once again place The Bahamas in the top echelons of the White List, consolidating the flag’s recognition by the United States Coast…
The Bahamas welcomes the world’s biggest ship
The Bahamas is without doubt the flag of choice for the world’s largest passenger ships after it welcomed the world’s newest wonder, Wonder of the Seas to its register. Built…
Safer pilot boarding arrangements on Bahamas flagged vessels
The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) once again demonstrates its commitment to seafarer safety by being the first registry to instigate a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) for pilot transfer arrangements. It…
New STCW I/10 agreement coincides with confirmation of IMO Whitelist position for The Bahamas
The Bahamas is pleased to announce that it has maintained its position on the IMO Whitelist as the IMO Maritime Safety Committee at its 104 session has confirmed that The…
IMO Update
The BMA’s Maritime Affairs Department has been actively engaged both at the IMO as well as Industry based meetings. These were a mixture of physical and virtual meetings. In particular,…
Welcoming some of The BMA’s newly registered vessels
The Bahamas has a diverse fleet of vessels under its portfolio. These include second hand vessels new to the register, unique vessels with innovative designs and cutting edge technology, vessels…
The Bahamas welcomes its first LNG powered passenger ship
The BMA enjoyed a landmark month in May 2021 when welcoming its first Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) powered passenger ship, the Mardi Gras, to the Flag. Mardi Gras, a…
International Women’s Day: Recognising women in maritime
For more than 100 years, the world has celebrated women’s achievements and their incredible contribution to society, economics, culture, politics and business – including maritime. Since the inaugural International Women’s…
Recent Activities and Events
2022 The BMA attend Seatrade Cruise 2022 The BMA welcomed the opportunity to return to Seatrade Cruise Global 2022 in Miami. The BMA delegation was led by BMA Board Chairman,…
Recent Appointments
We would like to extend our warmest welcome and wish the team every success in their new role, as we all strive to strengthen and grow the Authority. Larez Pinder…
FAQ’s
Here at the Bahamas Maritime Authority, we are asked numerous questions every day, in this feature we try to answer some that we’re asked most frequently.