ISSUE 4 2011
NEWS
The UK’s Freight Transport Association is to provide the secretariat for a revitalised Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF), with FTA’s general manager of global and European policy Chris Welsh as secretary general of the new organisation.
At the same time, GSF is to transform itself into an official non-governmental organisation (NGO), giving it similar status to bodies such as the International Maritime Organisation and the World Customs Organisation in its dealings with bodies such as the UN.
At a meeting of the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Germany, the GSF said that it had been incorporated under
UK laws, transforming
it from an informal alliance of shippers “into a better organised, co-ordinated and consistent global voice for shippers on key issues impacting global transport.” Chris Welsh said: “With this reorganisation of the GSF as a not-for-profit corporation in the UK now fully resolved, our first order of business will be to seek recognition and accreditation as an NGO. With international NGO status in hand, we will be able to more fully participate in the key international bodies where decisions are taken which impact shippers everywhere like IMO, ICAO, ILO and the World Customs Organisation.” Chris Welsh also explained the reasons why GSF wanted to become an accredited NGO. “There are a number of issues where a strong shipper’s voice will be needed. These could include issues such as the need to weigh containers before shipment, which will directly affect shippers.” GSF has in fact already been participating in ILO-led discussions on the safe stowage of containers, at the ILO’s invitation. However,
One of the first acts of
the new GSF was to announce that it would oppose any steps by the global shipping industry to impose a bunker levy on shippers to fund carbon-cutting measures.
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) unveiled plans in late May to develop a bunker levy scheme that it said could collect billions of dollars from the maritime industry, adding that it would lobby the IMO to accept such a scheme as a means of heading off regional
for further work and involvement in other initiatives such as IMO’s work on weighing of containers, the GSF will need full accreditation, said Chris Welsh.
Under the rules of most UN bodies, participating organisations are required to show evidence of being democratically organised and have appropriate articles of association and by-laws.
Other founding board members of the GSF are the FTA’s managing director of policy and communications, James Hookham; president of the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association, Bob Ballantyne; Asian Shippers’ Council chairman John Lu; and president and CEO of The National Industrial Transportation League in the US, Bruce Carlton. Other member organisations include the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association and the Union of African Shippers’ Councils. Chris Welsh added that he hoped that other national shippers’ organisation would also join, including that of Argentina and others in South America. The GSF was created in 2006 as the successor to the Tripartite Shippers’ Group, which dates back to 1994. Like the Tripartite Shippers’ Group, the GSF has represented the interests of shippers from Asia, Europe, North America, Africa and Oceana. It focuses on the impact of
commercial developments
in the international freight transportation industry and the policy decisions of governments and international organisations as they affect shippers and receivers of freight. Chris Welsh
told FBJ: “The
Tripartite group has gradually developed to the point where we needed to develop from an organisation that had an annual meeting to one with a permanent organisation. Also, there are
regulation, including emissions trading schemes.
Commenting on the ICS’s bunker levy plans, GSF Secretary General Chris Welsh said: “At its inaugural Board meeting in Leipzig Germany on 27 May, the GSF board said it would welcome and support a voluntary shipping industry initiative to reduce carbon emissions through the IMO, but the shipping industry must take direct responsibility for setting and achieving a clear target for reducing its carbon emissions.
developments in Asia and elsewhere where shippers want to emulate the removal of shipping line conferences in Europe.” One advantage of FTA providing the secretariat is that it can offer the expertise of its Tunbridge Wells-based team on a wide range of issues. Initially, there would be no need for additional staff or premises.
However the European
Shippers’ Council, while invited, has declined to join the board. Secretary general Nicolette van der Jagt said while ESC had been one of the founding fathers of the original GSF, it had resigned “following different views over the future direction of the organisation.” However, the ESC would endeavour to continue
dialogue with the GSF on issues of mutual concern and where ESC and GSF share similar positions, as indeed the ESC would with any other shipper organisations around the world. Nicolette van der Jagt added: “The ESC is and shall remain the premier representative organisation for shippers in Europe, and the only natural voice of European
3 UK’s FTA to host global shippers’ group
shippers, with uncompromised views and politics focusing on the needs and best interests of shippers at all times.” Chris Welsh added that “there would be a home for any shippers in continental Europe to get involved with GSF”. FTA Ireland is also included, he pointed out.
www.globalshippersforum.com
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