From island boatmaster training to helping young people discover careers in maritime, the REG Annual Conference shows how collaboration, learning and shared standards build a global safety culture.
Every single day, maritime administrations, regulators, harbour authorities and shipping registries across the Red Ensign Group (REG) work together to help keep people safe at sea.
Held in Bermuda, this year’s annual REG conference united UK, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, bringing delegates together to share expertise and tackle common challenges, with maritime safety at the fore. The event demonstrated the close working relationships between administrations, training providers, governments and regulators, underlining the importance of collaboration and shared knowledge.
With a variety of climates, geographies and seas represented across its membership, projects like the Ascension Island’s bespoke boatmaster training course showcased the REG’s universal commitment to education, skills and learning.
Kitty George, Acting Director of Facilities and Operations and Assistant Harbour Master for Ascension Island Government said:
“The REG’s new bespoke boatmasters course is perfect for us because it was tailored specifically to our unique local conditions.
“As a remote island, our ship-to-shore supply chain is our absolute lifeline–if it stops, the island stops. With such small teams, we simply can't afford to send people away for training.
“Having the MCA deliver this program right here on-island was exactly what we needed—it allowed us to get the critical training required while maintaining safety, continuity, and self-sufficiency on our own shores.”
A focus on skills development continued via sessions like the Coastal State Forum, now celebrating its eighth year at the Conference. The Forum brought forward wide-ranging issues faced by island nations heavily dependent on the sea.
Among discussion topics raised by Guernsey Harbour Master James Way were marine pollution, safety and navigation, and hydrography.
He said:
“For Guernsey, participation in the Red Ensign Group is invaluable.
“It gives us access to a network of expertise and collaboration that would be difficult to replicate independently, enabling us to benefit from shared knowledge, common standards, and collective experience across a diverse range of maritime jurisdictions.
“By engaging in forums such as this, we strengthen our own capabilities, support continuous improvement in our maritime governance, and help ensure that Guernsey continues to meet the highest international standards as a responsible coastal state.”
The REG also recognised that strong safety practice is built on solid foundations. On St Helena, maritime career talks, school engagement activities and awareness campaigns are helping to embed maritime knowledge from an early age, creating a greater understanding of maritime careers and safer behaviour around the sea.
A recurring theme throughout the conference was how jurisdictions had learned from each other throughout the year, a good example being the Cayman Islands’ III Code audit, where consistent standards ensure that ships, seafarers and maritime organisations operate safely.
Meanwhile, shared approaches towards domestic vessel regulation, pollution prevention and governance helped to raise standards across a wider maritime community. Delegates emphasised how protecting the marine environment goes hand in hand with protecting people, with sessions on MARPOL, pollution response and decarbonisation.
Chairing this year’s conference, Christian Olsen, Director of Maritime Governance and Regulatory Compliance, Maritime and Coastguard Agency said:
“I look forward to continuing work with colleagues across the Red Ensign Group as we face new challenges together and advance the quality and standing of the British shipping.”