The BIMCO President, Anastasios Papagiannopoulos and European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) President, Panos Laskarides met in Athens recently to discuss areas of cooperation and further alignment between the two leading associations representing shipowners globally and in Europe respectively.
“ECSA and BIMCO have supported each other in the past but there is a desire by both associations to further improve and deepen our cooperation”, said Mr. Panos Laskaridis.
“We discussed the key issues currently concerning the shipping industry such as environmental legislation, both at the European and international level, including CO2 emissions from shipping and the global limit for sulphur that will be effective from January 2020. We also discussed the worrying developments in world trade in addition to the very topical issue of migration and merchant ships’ involvement in rescuing operations,” he concluded.
Anastasios Papagiannopoulos, said: “It is crucial that the shipping industry speaks with one voice at European and global level. That’s why an even closer relationship between BIMCO and ECSA is in the interest of both organisations”.
He added: ‘The strengths and capabilities of both organisations need to be combined in policy discussions that will steer the future of the shipping industry. When discussing the short, medium and long-term measures to reduce the GHG emissions from international shipping, industry has to be united”.
BIMCO is the world’s largest international shipping association, with around 2,000 members in more than 120 countries. Our global membership includes shipowners, operators, managers, brokers and agents. Bimco’s mission is to be at the forefront of global developments in shipping, providing expert knowledge and practical advice to safeguard and add value to its members’ businesses”.
The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) is a trade association representing the national shipowners’ associations of the EU and Norway. The European shipowners control 40% of the global commercial fleet, contribute 140 billion to the EU GDP and provide 2.1 million Europeans with careers both onboard and ashore.