Transport Minister Ewart Brown yesterday announced two new additions to the Island's shipping registry, which he said signalled continuing confidence in Bermuda's high standards.

And with the P&O Shipping Group now moving its entire fleet of ships from the Panamanian Registry to British flags, Dr. Brown said he was confident that more ships fitting category one status would join the new pair in the registry.

The registry now includes 13 passenger ships of category two status, which only take short international voyages and are based in Europe, while category one ships have no geographical boundaries.

The Grand Princess is the world's second largest cruise liner and weighs 109,000 tons.

Built in 1997, it carries 3,100 passengers and 1,060 crew and divides its time between the Caribbean in the winter and Europe in the summer. Dr. Brown was careful to point out that joining the registry did not mean the ship had to visit Bermuda, but like all other ships on the registry was subject to yearly inspections by Marine and Ports' four surveyors.

He said: "It is important to note that being on the registry does not mean the ship will be coming to Bermuda.

"We are very proud of our excellent reputation in the shipping world and we intend to maintain the high standards we have set,'' Dr. Brown said.

He added: "We will also take all the possible steps to ensure that other Princess ships, now in construction or on the drawing board, will also become part of the Bermuda family of Princess ships. The registrations of Grand Princess and Crown Princess demonstrate the company's confidence in the Bermuda registry as a safe and high quality maritime administration.'' Just two weeks ago the P&O ship Pacific Princess began its first regular run into Bermuda.

Meanwhile Registrar General Marlene Christopher has trained the captain of the Grand Princess in Bermuda marriage law and regulations to pave the way for on-board weddings under 1999's Maritime Marriage Act. She conducted three weddings while on board the Grand Princess last week. All of weddings, regardless of where the ship is in the world, are legal Bermuda marriages, subject to all of the usual regulations including publishing of banns in the Official Gazette.

SHIPPING SHI