text: In April 2000, following the regular six monthly Quality Assurance audit, the Company’s 
  
  accreditation under AS/NZS/ISO 9002 was reconfirmed. Mermaid’s quality assurance and 
  
  compliance team continues with a continuous day to day effort to improve our health, safety and 
  
  environmental performance. Stringent charterer requirements, which are a pre requisite of 
  
  increased vessel usage, must be met to the letter and are the subject of regular and demanding 
  
  audits. Although time consuming and expensive, we are grateful to certain of the large 
  
  producers, who while demanding the highest levels of compliance, have also been prepared to 
  
  give their time, sharing their safety expertise with us and in that way assisting in the very major 
  
  advances our company has made in this all important area. 