The MAS is, by law, MAS (Bulletin of acts and decrees 1998 No. 37) sui generis set up as a legal person. which means ‘ only one of its kind ‘. As they run several executive and controlling authority tasks within the shipping industry. The core tasks are:
• Piloting of sea-going vessels to and from the ports;
• Carrying out Hydrographic measurements according to international standards;
• Mapping and marking the rivers;
• The detection of sunken objects and obstacles;
• Registering, and accept by vessels flying the Surinamese waters;
• Investigating incidents in inland waters;
• Treating license applications;
• Monitoring of civil works;
• Maintaining the waterway markings;
• Carry out inspections (Port State Control) on foreign ships;
• Monitoring and guiding the traffic on the inland and coastal waters;
• Monitor the compliance with legal regulations regarding shipping and
• The certification of port facilities according to the international shipping and port facility security (ISPS) standards;