Beijing: China Classification Society has stopped verifying safety and environmental standards for Iranian ships, and become the last of the world’s top classification societies of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), to confirm it has ended Iran-related certification work, key to insurance and ports access for ships, Reuters reported.
"Currently there is not any ship flying an Iranian flag or owned by an Iranian ship owner in our fleet, and we have not conducted any statutory survey for any Iranian ship," CCS chairman and president Sun Licheng said in the letter to United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).
Earlier this month Hong Kong said it would stop allowing 19 ships linked to Iran's biggest cargo carrier the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines from operating under its flag.
This year so far, China has reduced oil imports from Iran by about 20%, Iran’s position as the third largest oil import supply country to China has been replaced by Russia. [23/11/12]
