Tag: ICS

The shipping industry is investing in training The shipping industry is investing in training. Newly released statistics from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), which celebrated its centenary in 2011, show shipping bucking the trend in terms of cuts to training budgets. While recent figures from the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) revealed a fall of 20% in training budgets in 2011, ICS examination registrations are up 44%.The ICS 2012 figures for the number of examinations being undertaken are in sharp contrast to the downbeat maritime industry forecasts for the medium to long term. The ICS is experiencing a record year in examination registrations with 5,838 already confirmed compared to 4,061 in 2011. Furthermore, the qualifications offered by ICS are receiving increased global recognition with 75 examination centres in 46 countries across six continents.This increase provides solid evidence that despite a global shipping recession, with the threat of darker times to come, the maritime industry and individuals recognise the value of investment in sector-specific education and training.This exceptional increase is further evidence that internationally, maritime businesses are heeding professional advice to maintain and/or increase training budgets and not cut them during recessionary times in order to emerge fitter from ...

ICS Chairman says in his speech at the CMA Conference Balancing environmental aspirations with economic realities, but also with political realities is not easy, ICS Chairman Spyros M Polemis is set to tell delegates at the influential CMA Conference in Connecticut this week.In a speech entitled "Balancing Environmental Aspirations With Economic Realities," Mr Polemis will:highlight the danger of aspirational legislationstress that shipping is a global industry requiring global rulesurge legislators to ensure their proposed environmental legislation is compatible with technical and economic realitiesUrging US States not to implement their own rules, Mr Polemis is set to point out: "If major trading nations such as the US adopt rules that are at variance to those agreed by governments at IMO we have chaos and if individual US States decide to implement their own rules in conflict with Federal requirements, it is even worse - we actually run the risk of double chaos."In particular, Mr Polemis will highlight the issues of ballast water management and sulphur emissions - pointing out the need to ensure enough low sulphur fuel is available to enable the international shipping community to meet low emissions requirements and the need to establish that equipment actually exists to meet ...

ICS has confirmed its opposition to the application of the EEDI to existing ships ICS has reviewed its position with respect to progress being made at IMO on further measures to reduce CO2 emissions from international shipping, including refinements to the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), discussed by IMO in January, having been adopted as part of the ground breaking international agreement reached at IMO in July 2011 and which will apply to new ships from 2013.ICS has also reviewed the operational and technical measures now being taken by existing ships, in support of the industry's target of improving efficiency per tonne/km by 20% by 2020.With respect to the EEDI, ICS has confirmed its opposition to the application of the EEDI to existing ships. This is not what the EEDI was developed for, and the goals set by IMO for the design of new ships, and the complex formulae developed for them, are completely inappropriate for the existing fleet.ICS will be making the industry's considered view on this clear at the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee in March. The position is reinforced by a joint statement recently made by the Round Table of international shipping associations.Source: ISF/ICS

Effective compliance with BMP and military intervention are also needed Recent press reports might give the impression that the level of piracy off Somalia is decreasing, but the capability of the pirates is actually higher than it has ever been.However, ICS believes that effective compliance with Best Management Practices by shipping, and sustained military intervention with a more aggressive stance, has reduced the pirates' rate of success. However, the current situation remains totally unacceptable, with about 200 seafarers still being held hostage in the most appalling conditions, and thousands more still having to transit the danger area in constant fear of their lives.ICS is working to ensure that the problem of piracy retains sufficient political and public attention so that the crisis might be properly and decisively addressed during the year ahead. The ICS Board has identified three immediate objectives. First is the need to persuade governments to task the military to take the attack direct to the pirates, while at the same time continuing to defend merchant ships in the best way possible.Second, every apprehended pirate should be arrested, taken to a court of law and, if found guilty, imprisoned. Third, governments must break the financial chain through legal ...

Fuel consumption of two identical ships can vary dramatically ICS is strongly opposed to a proposal from the Bahamas to IMO whereby governments would specify limits on the CO2 emissions of individual ships (as determined by fuel consumption) and which would subsequently be reduced over time.ICS is very concerned that if a ship's CO2 allowance was exceeded during the time period specified, it would have to go off-hire and a second ship chartered as a replacement.The problem is compounded by the reality that the fuel consumption of two identical ships can vary dramatically according to trading patterns and other variables such as weather.The Bahamas' proposal has been made with the apparent intention of being an alternative to other Market Based Measures that have been proposed at IMO, and which will be further considered by the next MEPC meeting.But there is a danger that some might see this as being a superficially attractive alternative to the adoption of an MBM, when it is simply a system of fuel rationing which would be highly damaging to large parts of the industry.Source: ICS

Says ICS When it comes to governing the oceans, shipping largely has its house in order - that is the view of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) whose Chairman, Spyros M Polemis, took part in a major debate about oceans governance, in Singapore (Feb 23rd and 24th).Discussing 'Who Should Rule The Waves' at the World Ocean Summit, organised by The Economist magazine, Mr Polemis outlined how any suggestion of radically revising the United Nations Convention on the Law Of the Sea (UNCLOS) would not be welcomed by the international shipping industry.Because of the delicate balance of rights and responsibilities that exists between flag states, port states and coastal states, the shipping industry is very reluctant to support a fundamental revision of UNCLOS.Apart from enshrining the principle of global maritime rules, which are vital to the industry, UNCLOS also establishes the right of all nations to freedom of navigation on the high seas and the right of innocent passage in territorial waters. It also deals with delicate issues such as the rights of all ships to use international straits which are of great strategic importance.Because UNCLOS addresses a number of other sensitive issues, not just affecting shipping, ICS believes it ...

Cautions against any move to ban ransom payments to pirates The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) - the principal international trade association for shipowners representing all sectors and trades and over 80% of the world merchant fleet - has responded to the outcome of the intergovernmental conference on Somalia hosted by the United Kingdom on 23 February.The shipping industry welcomes the commitments made to try to restore government and civil society in Somalia - the absence of a functioning state being one of the underlying causes of violent Somali pirate attacks against international shipping, which have so far led to more than 60 seafarers losing their lives and 4,000 seafarers being taken hostage. However, addressing these issues will take years if not decades.The international shipping industry notes with some concern that the Conference outcomes do not appear to include any firm political commitment or new actions to eliminate or significantly reduce the scourge of Somali piracy in the immediate future.Governments must task their military forces to take the attack to the pirates and ensure that the military assets required to do this are maintained so they can continue to defend merchant ships in the best way possible. Little mention seems ...

On 19-20, February 2012 On Sunday 19 and Monday 20, February 2012, representatives of the 60% of the international fleet assemble in Athens to participate in the World Shipping Congress, an event by the Financial Times Limited. The Congress is the first international Shipping Summit. It will take place at Divani Apollon Palace & Spa, co-organized with Boussias Communications.Presidents of Shipowners' Associations from 3 continents and 9 major Shipping Countries (Greece, Norway, Korea, Finland, Netherlands, Italy, U.S.A., U.K., Denmark), major Greek Shipowners (M. Bodouroglou, I. Dragnis, E. Pistiolis, H. Vafias, etc.), industry experts, researchers and consultants, 4 Greek Government representatives, the Chairman and the General Manager of Piraeus Port Authority S.A., the Secretary General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and 2 major Financial Times editors and correspondents analyse, discuss and forecast the major strategic issues regarding the Shipping Industry at an era of high economic uncertainty and financial fragility.Financial Times acknowledging the significance of Maritime Transportations have appointed to coordinate the Congress Michael Skapinker (Assistant Editor FT newspaper, Columnist, Editor FT Special Reports) and Robert Wright (Financial Times Shipping and Logistics Correspondent).Sunday's Summit session will take place in the afternoon (from 18.00 to 20.30), closed doors. ...

International Chamber of Shipping urges goverments to crack down on pirate financiers Shipowners urged governments to take a heavier hand to captured Somali pirates and their financiers, as the threat to trade and seafarers increases.The International Chamber of Shipping, whose membership makes up more than 80 percent of the world merchant fleet, said more aggressive military intervention was needed in the Indian Ocean."The current situation remains totally unacceptable, with about 200 seafarers still being held hostage in the most appalling conditions, with thousands more still having to transit the danger area in constant fear of their lives," said the ICS's board of directors in a statement.Althoughbetter shipping practices and military co-ordination had reduced the chances of pirates being successful, the threat had not diminished.ICS Chairman Spyros Polemis said shipowners need to persuade the government to directly attack pirates while keeping merchant ships safe. He said every captured pirates should be tried and imprisoned if found guilty."Thirdly, governments must break the financial chain through legal action against criminal financiers investing in piracy wherever in the world they are identified," Polemis said.Source: Journal of Commerce

Discussing current security and environmental issues The Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), whose member national shipowners' associations represent all sectors and trades and more than 80% of the world merchant fleet, met in London on 6 February.PiracyICS members reviewed the continuing threat to shipping from Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. Noting that the capability of Somali pirates is actually higher than it has ever been, ICS believes that effective compliance with Best Management Practices by shipping, and sustained military intervention with a more aggressive stance, has reduced the pirates' rate of success. However, the current situation remains totally unacceptable, with about 200 seafarers still being held hostage in the most appalling conditions, with thousands more still having to transit the danger area in constant fear of their lives.ICS national associations agreed to work to ensure that the problem of piracy retains sufficient political and public attention so that the crisis might be properly and decisively addressed during the year ahead.ICS Chairman, Spyros M Polemis explained:"Recent press reports might give the impression that the level of piracy off Somalia is decreasing. However, most ship operators will be aware that this is not an accurate representation ...