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QUALSHIP 21 means Quality Shipping for the 21st Century.
It is a USCG Port State Control quality incentive program for foreign-flagged vessels calling U.S. ports. It identifies ships with good safety, pollution-prevention and PSC records and rewards them with recognition and reduced PSC targeting. To qualify, the vessel, company and flag must have good performance, no recent detention, no serious violation, valid certificates and good compliance with SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW and ISM. For a Chief Engineer, maintaining MARPOL compliance, machinery readiness, correct records and PSC preparedness is very important to retain QUALSHIP 21 status.