28 October 2026
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
International Registries, Inc. — administrator of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Registry, carrying 6,819 vessels and 227 million gross tons — makes Cork its Irish home and backs the city’s bid to become Ireland’s maritime commerce capital
International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI), the company that provides administrative and technical support to the world’s second largest ship registry, today announced the opening of a new Irish office in Cork — making it the 29th location in IRI’s global network and a decisive statement of confidence in Cork’s future as Ireland’s premier international maritime hub.
The announcement was made today at the Irish Maritime Commerce Forum in Dublin, hosted by the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO), where IRI President Bill Gallagher participated as a panellist in the session ‘Why Ireland? Competing for Maritime Business’. IRI was also the exclusive sponsor of the Forum’s Networking Reception. The forum was addressed by Minister of State Seán Canney and brought together leaders from across the maritime sector to discuss the future of maritime commerce in Ireland and the opportunities to strengthen Ireland’s position as a leading international maritime hub.
(L-R) Conor Mowlds, IRI Senior Maritime Representative for Ireland , Bill Gallagher, President of International Registries, Inc and Alison Wilson, Senior International Counsel, IRI Head of Office, Long Beach, IRI’s Cork office, its 29th globally, backs Cork’s bid to become Ireland’s maritime capital. IMAGE: Maxwell Photography
(L-R) Alison Wilson, Senior International Counsel, IRI Head of Office, Long Beach, Conor Mowlds, IRI Senior Maritime Representative for Ireland and Bill Gallagher, President of International Registries, Inc , IRI’s Cork office, its 29th globally, backs Cork’s bid to become Ireland’s maritime capital. IMAGE: Maxwell Photography
(L-R) Alison Wilson, Senior International Counsel, IRI Head of Office, Long Beach IRI’s , Bill Gallagher, President of International Registries, Inc and Conor Mowlds, IRI Senior Maritime Representative for Ireland and Cork office, its 29th globally, backs Cork’s bid to become Ireland’s maritime capital. IMAGE: Maxwell Photography – No
The new Cork office adds Ireland to an elite global network of IRI offices in the world’s most significant shipping and financial centres — including London, New York, Hong Kong, Hamburg, Singapore, Geneva, Tokyo, Dubai and Piraeus. Cork joins that network as IRI’s 29th location worldwide, the company’s only office on the island of Ireland and its direct gateway to the Irish maritime market.
The RMI Registry is the world’s second largest ship registry, carrying over 227 million gross tons across 6,819 vessels as of 30 September 2026 — a fleet that has grown from just 39 vessels and two million gross tons when IRI began administering the RMI Maritime and Corporate Registries in 1990. Only one registry in the world is larger.
The Cork office will serve IRI’s established base of Irish customers — including Irish-based shipowners and operators already registered under the RMI flag — while expanding the reach of IRI’s world-class maritime and corporate registry services to the wider Irish and international maritime community.
Bill Gallagher, President of International Registries Inc., said:
“Opening our 29th office in Cork is a deliberate and meaningful step for IRI. We have long held the view that Ireland — and Cork in particular — has genuine potential as a serious international maritime hub. The talent is here, the infrastructure is here, and the policy momentum is building. The RMI Registry is the flag of choice for many of the world’s leading shipowners precisely because we maintain the highest standards of safety, quality and client service — and we want to bring that same standard of commitment to Ireland. We look forward to serving our established customers here better and to being a constructive force in the development of Cork’s maritime commerce cluster for the long term.”
Minister of State Seán Canney, T.D., with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, added:
“When the world’s second largest ship registry chooses Cork, that is not a coincidence, that is a consequence. It is the consequence of years of deliberate, strategic work by the maritime sector, by Cork, and by this Government to make Ireland a serious player on the international maritime stage. IRI’s decision to plant its flag here is a landmark moment for Irish maritime commerce, and it is one that I believe will bring further international investment and recognition in its wake. Cork has long had the talent, the infrastructure, and the ambition. Now it has the world’s attention.”
A Calculated Bet on Cork
IRI’s commitment to Cork goes beyond bricks and mortar. The company has been an active participant in the Cork Futures Group — the Irish Government’s development taskforce for Cork — contributing to the economic stream focused on growing the city’s maritime commerce cluster and working toward making Cork’s status as Ireland’s maritime capital a matter of national government policy.
IRI’s position is clear: at the heart of any successful international maritime cluster is world-class registry capability. The arrival of the world’s second largest ship registry in Cork is not just a commercial decision — it is a signal to the international maritime community that Ireland, and Cork in particular, is serious.
Valerie O’Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, said:
“I warmly welcome the news that International Registries, Inc. is opening an office in Cork. IRI has been a valued and constructive contributor to the Cork Futures Group, and their decision to establish a permanent presence here is a strong and tangible signal of confidence in Cork’s strategic future as Ireland’s maritime capital. The arrival of the world’s second largest ship registry in our city is exactly the kind of international investment that helps build the critical mass needed to develop a world-class maritime commerce cluster. We look forward to the establishment of Ireland’s maritime cluster in Ireland’s second city, its future growth and working closely with IRI in the years ahead.”
The Cork office is led by Conor Mowlds, IRI’s Senior Maritime Representative for Ireland — a respected figure across the Irish maritime sector with deep roots in Cork and over two decades of experience spanning a career at sea, maritime education, port management and industry leadership. IRI also recently joined the Irish Chamber of Shipping (ICOS), further cementing its long-term commitment to the Irish maritime industry.
Conor Mowlds, Senior Maritime Representative of IRI Ireland, concluded:
“IRI’s decision to open in Cork is rooted in genuine conviction — a belief that this city can and will grow into one of Europe’s leading maritime commerce clusters. We have established customers in Ireland who deserve world-class local service, and we are committed to delivering exactly that. But beyond serving our existing clients, we want to be part of building something bigger — actively contributing to the policy environment and the commercial ecosystem that will make Cork Ireland’s maritime capital in name and in fact. When the world’s second largest ship registry opens its doors in your city, it sends a clear signal to the international maritime community that Ireland means business.”
Headquartered in Reston, Virginia (USA), IRI now operates 29 offices in major shipping and financial centres worldwide, including London, Hamburg, Geneva, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Dubai, Piraeus — and now, Cork. www.register-iri.com