Greek shipping won recognition once again from the United States Coast Guard, after the renewal of its participation into the Quality Shipping for the 21st Century program, or QUALSHIP 21 for the 2026-2027 period.
The program recognizes and rewards vessels, as well as their owners and Flag Administrations, for their commitment to safety and quality.
The decision recognizes the strong performance of Greek-flagged vessels during Port State Control inspections carried out by US authorities over the 2023-2025 years.
The criteria for inclusion into the program are very strict and only a small percentage of all foreign-flagged ships that operate in the U.S. have earned the QUALSHIP 21 designation. The QUALSHIP 21 program ended calendar year 2025 with an enrolment of 4,659 vessels.
To encourage maritime entities to participate, incentives such as certificates, name recognition, and a reduction in PSC examination frequency are offered to participants.
Four previously qualified flag Administrations lost their QUALSHIP 21 eligibility over this past year. Vessels from those flag Administrations which are currently enrolled in the program will remain enrolled until their QUALSHIP 21 certificate expire.
“Our commitment to recognizing excellence is showcased by the QUALSHIP 21 program which ended 2025 with an impressive enrolment of 4,659 vessels,” said Rear Admiral Wayne R. Arguin. “Along this, our E-Zero initiative now includes 605 ships, highlighting the industry’s commitment to exceeding international standards for safety, quality, and environmental stewardship. I extend my congratulations to the flag administrations that have earned QUALSHIP 21 eligibility this year and commend their dedication to quality shipping.”
The E-Zero program focuses on environmental stewardship and worldwide compliance with international environmental conventions. Qualifying ships receive a special E-Zero designation on their QUALSHIP 21 certificate. The E-Zero designation is intended to provide a higher level of recognition within the existing QUALSHIP 21 program. By the end of 2025, 605 ships received the E-Zero designation.
For the period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, there are 22 eligible Flag Administrations for the QUALSHIP 21 Program:
