InterManager President calls for ‘one voice’ for shipping
(Posted on 29/09/21)
Shipping needs “one voice” to represent it globally and enable the maritime community to communicate more effectively with regulators, says Mark O’Neil, President of shipmanagement association InterManager and CEO of Columbia Shipmanagement.
As the industry builds up to the vital COP26 environmental world discussions in November, Mr O’Neil urged it to capitalise on the co-operation achieved in collectively working to tackle the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to address other global issues.
Speaking during the International Shipowning and Shipmanagement Summit, held during London International Shipping Week (LISW21), Mr O’Neil proposed the creation of an ‘International Maritime Committee’ (IMC) comprising representatives from all maritime sectors with a presidency rotating between member organisations. He recommended this IMC would collate all relevant views and opinions from within the various, diverse maritime sectors, presenting the results of informed industry debate to governments making decisions which will impact how shipping operates in the future.
“I do think as an industry there is a crying need for greater collaboration between those bodies that govern the various aspects of the industry,” he stated.
“We need to influence the debate when it comes before the governments who decide. At the moment we have various bodies all doing their part for their members but those members representing only a part of the industry. We need our industry views put across in a single voice.”
Pointing out that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a regulator not a lobbyist, Mr O’Neil said: “IMO does its job very well but it is not the voice of shipping nor was it ever intended to be.”
Declaring that shipping had too often been late to discussions and the ‘Johnny-come-lately’ of international debate, he commented: “Shipping is a long-term investment industry and it cannot operate on knee-jerk, populist policies otherwise investors will go elsewhere.
Act now, he advised, “otherwise shipping risks losing its long-standing elevated status within the overall logistics chain.”
Latest News
Former INTERCARGO Chairman, Dr Spyros M Polemis, passes away
(Posted on 24/07/24)INTERCARGO, the association of dry bulk shipping companies, has released the following statement:&ldquo... Read more
Joint study of ammonia fuelled bulk carriers
(Posted on 22/07/24)ITOCHU Corporation, ClassNK, Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd., and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (... Read more
WISTA UK celebrates 50 years of championing diversity and inclusion
(Posted on 22/07/24)The Women's International Shipping & Trading Association UK (WISTA UK) marked its 50th anniversary... Read more
Accidents on ships under scrutiny as InterManager submits statistics to IMO
(Posted on 16/07/24)Accidents onboard ships are not decreasing, according to latest accident statistics submitted to the... Read more
Solutions required for FuelEU Maritime rules compliance, says Columbia
(Posted on 16/07/24)Solutions must be in place to help ship owners with navigating the complex challenges of complying with... Read more
Boers committed to diversity with relocation of Filipino employees to Germany
(Posted on 16/07/24)Diversity and nurturing talent is high on the agenda for BCS Group – Boers Crew Services as it... Read more
INTERCARGO joins industry calls for IMO to amend flaws in CII
(Posted on 12/07/24)With discussions regarding the IMO’s (International Maritime Organization) Carbon Intensity Indicator... Read more
ICS Türkiye branch celebrates its inauguration in Istanbul
(Posted on 12/07/24)The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), the professional body for the commercial shipping industry... Read more
Columbia Group and Crowley forge strategic US alliance
(Posted on 12/07/24)Columbia Group and Crowley have signed a strategic cooperation agreement that broadens both companies... Read more
Inmarsat report advocates data sharing to address preventable incidents
(Posted on 04/07/24)The 2024 edition of The Future of Maritime Safety Report from Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, reveals... Read more
