Chinese yards have still not totally overcome their quality problems, according to one flag-state veteran who wants classification societies to step up to the plate to ensure that all ships are built to the required standard.
Clay Maitland, a managing partner at International Registries, the US company that supports the Marshall Islands Registry, and an outspoken independent campaigner for safer shipping, says problems, including fatigue cracking, engine issues and lifeboat-release mechanism failure, are still being seen in a few vessels delivered from China.
He
