Press release

The Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) convened this week in Singapore to discuss the goals and challenges faced by shippers in the organization and development of the freight transportation industry. A ‘Joint Declaration’ and ‘Special Statement in Support of Competitive Shipping Reforms in Asia’ detailing the activities of the fourteenth annual meeting of the GSF are attached to this release.

A major priority identified by the GSF was to call on Asian countries to undertake a major overhaul of their own laws and regulations, which should outlaw anti-competitive practices by liner conferences and discussion agreements. The group outlined in a ‘Special Statement of Support of Competitive Shipping Reforms in Asia’ issued following their meeting that there should be an immediate review by Asian governments putting forth competitive liner reforms which will enhance benefits for consumers and their economies alike. Similar efforts in Europe and North America have brought about similar results. It is positive to note that two of the largest growing economies being India and China have already initiated reforms to this end.

In this regard, the Group reconfirmed its support for the development of ‘Guidelines’ by the European Commission that align the treatment of the liner shipping sector closer to that of most other industrial and service sectors in regard to their compliance with European Community competition law.

The GSF will submit detailed comments to the Commission’s draft guidelines as it did at the end of last year. The GSF included in its Joint Declaration support for security measures, which will effectively protect the world’s supply chain. However, it reiterated concern over the U.S. scan-all container provision which was included in a recently passed law as it contradicts many of the goals and objectives of the 9/11 Commission and would divert vital funding from other programs that in combination with ‘screening’ and ‘scanning’ have proven effective in thwarting attacks on seaborne commerce.

Other areas of agreement concerned ocean freight surcharges, ocean cargo liability, the liberalization of air transport, the regulating wood packing materials and the support for initiatives to enhancing freight transport efficiency in the supply chain through performance measurement.

The GSF believes that there is a need for measures of performance which can be used to help prioritise key infrastructure investments and monitor the effectiveness of all measures to improve the overall supply-demand balance. The GSF also discussed the problems shippers are facing with growing congestion problems around the world and pledged support to private sector/government partnerships to address this problem.

The GSF also agreed that all surcharges should only be used to compensate carriers for unforeseen short term increases and should be temporary in nature. It agrees that many shippers, particularly Asian shippers, should have terminal handling charges (THCs) as an integral part of the freight rate.

Additionally the GSF noted its supports for effective measures which help to reduce greenhouse emissions balanced with the commercial needs of the transport industry. In the interests of closer communication over the development of policies on the range of issues covered by GSF members, the GSF will be launching its website shortly.

The Joint Declaration was signed by the: Asian Shippers’ Council (ASC); Canadian Industrial Transportation Association (CITA); the European Shippers’ Council (ESC); Japan Shippers’ Council (JSC); and The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL).

The GSF is transforming into a truly global force representing the freight transport interests of the world’s trading businesses; it is acquiring the means to sustain and build this elevated position and yet, by harnessing the power of the internet remain in touch and in tune with those it represents – the shippers.

For further information contact: Nicolette van der Jagt, Secretary General of the ESC - Brussels 00 322 230 2113