World Shipping Council

Carriers are already using vessels that run on green fuels, but these are still scarce & more expensive than fossil fuels. Global climate regulations are crucial to make green fuels viable & to boost investment in their production in order to reach #NetZero2050 🌱🚢 We have put forward a #GreenBalanceMechanism proposal to support this & our members are ready! #giveusachancetochange✅ Listen to CEOs of our members to understand their commitment & investments for decarbonisation. Shmulick Yoskovitz, CEO of X-Press Feeders. Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG. K. H. Wu, CEO of EVERGREEN LINE. Rodolphe SAADE, CEO & Chairman of CMA CGM. Read more about the Green Balance Mechanism 👉 https://lnkd.in/e4q4W9Sd

Happy New Year to all our members, partners and friends! 😊🎆 Wishing you a prosperous and peaceful 2025.

🚢 🌐 Building Prosperity & Reducing Poverty ✅ 🌏 Liner shipping has been a game-changer for low- and middle-income economies, enabling them to join global trade, expand exports, and attract investment. By connecting markets and lowering costs, it has helped reduce extreme poverty from 40% in 1995 to under 11% in 2022. 📈 🙌 World Trade Organization analysis shows how robust #shipping networks support economic growth, job creation, and enhanced competitiveness, for a more inclusive and prosperous world.

📰 We are pleased to announce the election of Soren Toft, CEO of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, as the new Chair of the WSC Board, and Randy Chen, Vice Chairman of WAN HAI Lines, as the new Vice Chair. 🚢 WSC's President and CEO Joe Kramek highlights the extensive expertise that Soren Toft and Randy Chen will bring, and their contributions to the global shipping industry: "I am looking forward to working with Soren Toft and Randy Chen in their new roles. Both are esteemed leaders with a proven track record of driving innovation and sustainability in the global shipping industry. Their experience and expertise will be instrumental in continuing to develop the WSC as the united voice of liner shipping.” We extend our gratitude to the outgoing Chairs, Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG and Jeremy Nixon, CEO of Ocean Network Express for their outstanding leadership over the past four years, during a critical time for the industry and WSC. 🙌 Under Soren and Randy’s stewardship, we will continue to lead the way in shaping the future growth of a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, safe and secure shipping industry. 🌊⚓ Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e9mn78Yp #Leadership #Maritime

🚢 🌐 Shipping is the backbone of global trade 👷♂️ 👷♀️ Serving global trade 24/7/365, #shipping plays a crucial role in raising living standards and creating jobs for people across the world. ✅ 🌏 We enable the efficient flow of goods across borders, driving development by connecting economies worldwide. 📈 🙌 Global trade is a force for growth, #sustainability, and reliability, building a more resilient, connected and prosperous world. World Trade Organization

This week in Bahrain, WSC’s Damian Viccars joined the 52nd Shared Awareness and Deconfliction (SHADE) Conference, hosted by the US led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and co-chaired by European Union Naval Force - Operation ATALANTA. Dominating the agenda was the continuing crisis in the #RedSea with the attacks by Houthis on merchant shipping showing no sign of ceasing. Military personnel, industry and #security experts joined a united effort to assess the current threats to shipping in the region and agree how best to exchange information and coordinate emergency responses. 🇧🇭 🚢 Amongst the key agreements reached was the designation of the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO) as the primary interface for disseminating information, for registering vessels that enter the Voluntary Reporting Area, for reporting incidents and requesting naval support by US led and EU naval forces. A special thank you to John Stawpert from International Chamber of Shipping, Phil Belcher from INTERTANKO, Jakob Larsen from BIMCO, Russell Pegg OBE from OCIMF (Oil Companies International Marine Forum), Peter Williams from THE JAPANESE SHIPOWNERS' ASSOCIATION and Luisa Puccio from European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) for the insightful discussion on the Red Sea crisis. 🤝

Last week, WSC’s Lars Kjaer attended the meeting of the IPPC’s Sea Container Focus Group in Rome, Italy. Among the Focus Group’s primary objective is the promotion of the CPM Recommendation 6 on ‘Minimizing the pest risk associated with the sea-container pathway’ and the related work streams to include development and maintenance of an Action Plan, and assess the feasibility of regulatory and non-regulatory measures. 🪳🚢 🇮🇹 Other topics on the Focus Group’s busy agenda was to assess the recent international symposium on container design modifications and next steps; receive and consider reports from the various sub-groups established under the Focus Group; development of a communication strategy and plan; and consider and plan for outreach efforts in 2025 leading up to an international workshop in 2026 that will be a key step towards finalizing the Focus Group’s recommendations to CPM 21 (2027) on the IPPC’s long-term guidance to minimize pests in containers and their cargoes, including potentially an International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM). This was the last meeting chaired by Mr. Greg Wolff from Canadian Food Inspection Agency. We are grateful to Greg for his leadership over the past several years and his inclusive and collaborate way of chairing a group with diverse views and positions. Greg’s willingness to listen to and include industry in the deliberations of the Focus Group is particularly appreciated. 🤝 Greg Wolff has been replaced by two co-chairs: Mr. Thorwald Geuze from Nederlandse Voedsel en Warenautoriteit - NVWA, and Mr. Rama Karri from Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. We look forward to working under their guidance and leadership, and wish them success in their new roles. Photo copyright disclaimer: ©FAO/Mariam Almasri #Safety #Shipping

Recently, WSC’s George Charalampidis participated in the Joint ILO–IMO Tripartite Working Group which adopted ‘Guidelines on Fair Treatment of Seafarers detained in connection with alleged crimes’, as part of the Shipowners’ group (Geneva, 26–28 November 2024). 👷♀️👷🇺🇳🇨🇭 These new Guidelines aim to: 📚Ensure ✅the human rights and legitimate interests of seafarers are recognized ✅seafarers are treated fairly by public authorities during detention ✅investigation or detention is for no longer than necessary, in accordance with local laws. 🚢Provide guidance for port States, flag States, coastal States, States of which the seafarer is a national, Shipowners and Seafarers alike. 🗓️What are the next steps?: Adoption by the IMO Legal Committee (March 2025) and ILO Governing Body. 🤝WSC remains actively committed to the fair treatment of our seafarers, whose rights and welfare must be upheld and safeguarded across all jurisdictions. #Safety

Yesterday, WSC’s Damian Viccars spoke at a high level seminar in Brussels on the reform of the Union Customs Code, organized by Federacja Przedsiębiorców Polskich and the European Express Association on how to achieve more union in the customs union? 🇪🇺 The conference explored whether the EU Customs Reform can meet the requirements of modern trade and supply chain security. Participants considered: what is the impact of the reform on trade facilitation, security, competitiveness and regulatory coherence. "We can’t ignore the conclusions of the Draghi report or the priorities of the new Commission, which emphasises both economic competitiveness and security. UCC reform has to contribute to both those objectives. They need not be mutually exclusive with smart reform and real EU wide harmonisation" says WSC's Damian Viccars. A special thank you to panelists Walter Van der Meiren from the European Express Association, Ricardo Treviño Chapa from the World Customs Organization, Magdalena Rzeczkowska from Federacja Przedsiębiorców Polskich and Elena Suárez Sánchez from BusinessEurope for an insightful discussion on the UCC Reform. #EU #Customs #Competitiveness #Security

Shaping the Future of Trade and Security in Europe. 🇪🇺 For the EU to increase its competitiveness and security, we need effective and smart EU Customs Reform. Representatives from across the supply chain - on land, in the air and on the water - today unite in support of an EU Customs Reform that will increase the EU’s security and protect its citizens without compromising legitimate trade. 🇪🇺 📚 Here’s why this reform matters now more than ever: ✅ It’s key to enhancing competitiveness while safeguarding security. ✅ A modern, unified customs union can turn Europe’s external borders into powerful trade enablers. ✅ Collaboration with the private sector is essential to strike the right balance between efficiency and protection. ✅ To reach fairer definitions of liability and end automatic presumption of criminal intent for customs infringements. ✅ Smarter customs policies that protect citizens, boost legitimate trade, and strengthen Europe’s role on the global stage.   #EU #Competitiveness #Security #Trade Airlines for Europe (A4E), BusinessEurope, CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies), CLECAT, #CONFIAD, #ECASBA, Ecommerce Europe, European Express Association, European Organisation for Security (EOS), European Shippers' Council, ESPO (European Sea Ports Organisation), EuroCommerce, #EuroPro, EurTradeNet, FEPORT, Federacja Przedsiębiorców Polskich, International Air Transport Association (IATA), IPCSA - International Port Community Systems Association, IRU, International VAT Association and OCEAN – the European Ship Suppliers Organization.   Read more about the joint industry and trade statement on the EU Customs Reform here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eRiUmNRb