Korean Register of Shipping continues to provide classification to Iran ships
A South Korean ship classification society on Thursday sidestepped calls from a U.S. lobby group to halt its verification work in Iran, saying it was concerned that vessel safety and marine environment protection could be compromised by political issues.
Without verification from such bodies, ships are unable to call at international ports.
U.S. group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) last week urged the Korean Register of Shipping (KR) to stop providing classification and certification services to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), its front companies and the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC).
It had described KR’s approach as “irresponsible.”
A targeted campaign by UANI, which includes former U.S. ambassadors on its board and is funded by private donations, has led Germany’s Germanischer Lloyd and France’s Bureau Veritas to drop their classification cover for Iranian shipping firms.
“KR is concerned that there is a potential for ship safety and the protection of the marine environment to be compromised by political issues,” a spokesman said when asked about services it provided for Iranian vessels.
“However, KR is taking this situation extremely seriously and is considering all the available alternatives. It will continue, at all times, to comply with national and international regulations.”
Source: Reuters