The confidence enjoyed by Malta’s maritime sector among the international shipping community stood out to Transport Malta’s Leonid McKay during this week’s Monaco Yacht Show.

The recently appointed TM CEO took to LinkedIn to note that the sector’s most prestigious annual trade show gave him the “opportunity to experience first-hand the scale and international reach of the maritime and superyacht industry.”

What “stood out” to him, he said, “was the confidence stakeholders place in the Malta flag: a responsive and professional registry, operating within a stable EU jurisdiction and supported by a highly developed maritime ecosystem.”

Malta has the largest ship registry in Europe and the sixth largest in the world by gross tonnage.

Mr McKay said that through conversations with yacht owners, technical experts and other key players across the maritime ecosystem, he noted how positively Transport Malta and the Malta Ship Registry are regarded internationally.

Writing on World Maritime Day, he said the only way he could describe what the Maltese flag represents was as “the flag of confidence”.

Mr McKay said Malta's reputation is not simply the result of the size of its register.

“It is about the quality of the service, the responsiveness of Transport Malta as a regulator, and the reputation we have built internationally.”

He said that the regulator’s ambition is clear: “to continue strengthening Malta's position as a leading maritime jurisdiction, while remaining a responsive, trusted and internationally respected regulator.”

The Malta Ship Registry participated in the Monaco Yacht Show as Malta sought to showcase its ship and superyacht registration framework to international yacht owners, managers and maritime industry professionals.

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