The Premier of the Cayman Islands Hon. Alden McLaughlin and his delegation were the first Premier and Minister to meet with Cayman Islands Shipping Registry staff at the Southampton office.

The delegation, which included the Premier, Finance Minister Wayne Panton and Councillor Roy McTaggart, spoke with the staff and familiarised themselves with the extensive services the office offers.

Mr. Greg Evans, Director of Global Safety and Compliance and Head of the European Regional Office in Southampton, was on hand to show the Premier, Honourable Minister and Councillor around.

“The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry’s presence in Southampton has been a deliberate strategic move that has benefited the already high profile of the Cayman Islands as one of the world’s most respected jurisdictions for registering yachts and commercial vessels.  By being physically present in this key market, we can actively develop relationships with our clients and partners,” the Hon. Premier said.

Mr. A. Joel Walton, CEO of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (parent organisation of the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry), noted that “the Cayman Islands has a credible and high quality Registry with recognition and distinction from international standard-setting bodies and this is something of which we are proud.  Currently, the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry operates in the UK, USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Greece, France, The Netherlands, Italy and Cayman.

This established global network allows us to personally ensure that international standards in safety, survey, crew compliance and registration are always met.”

The expertise of the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry, the reputation of the Cayman Islands flag, the ease with which a vessel can be registered, the security of the Cayman Islands, and the determination to personally monitor and uphold high standards, have made the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry one of the top 13 registries in the world.

The delegation also joined the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism’s European team at the UK’s high profile Southampton Boat Show today, Friday, 13 September, to lend support to the team’s efforts to bring the Cayman Islands to the forefront of the affluent yachting fraternity.

Cayman’s presence at the Southampton Boat Show is a partnership between the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry and the Department of Tourism.

“I was interested to hear about the DoT’s UK strategy in this regard from Don McDougall, who runs our European and UK office,” said the Hon. Premier. “It has been explained to me how, through shows such as the Southampton Boat Show, Don and his team can reach literally thousands of highly engaged consumers that closely match our visitor demographic at remarkably little investment, particularly when partnering with our colleagues such as those at MACI. I was able to see  first-hand how, by bringing our own tourism experts to these B2C shows in market, they are able to inspire and educate their audience about the huge diversity of tourism product that exists across all three islands, as well as  secure a high level of conversion through face to face contact.”

DoT’s activity at the Southampton Boat Show is the culmination of several months of intense and deliberate exposure for Cayman at exhibitions and consumer shows across the country, commencing with the popular County Shows through May and August.

“It certainly appears that DoT’s sustained efforts to maintain Cayman’s profile in the UK, including direct contact with the consumer, has contributed in no small part to the record visitor numbers we are seeing from the region during one of the worst periods of its economic history,” the Hon. Premier said. “The European team is optimistic about the on-going rise in numbers as we see a marked uplift in the UK economy.  I thank the entire team for their dedication and am delighted to bring my support in person to the work that DoT is doing in market at this time.”

Photo:

Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin, Minister of Financial Services Wayne Panton and Councillor Roy McTaggart met with the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry’s Southampton office staff on Friday.

Sept 16 2013 Correction