International Chamber of Shipping

Last updated
International Chamber of Shipping
Formation1921
Type International Trade Association
PurposeTo represent national shipowner associations, and advise on international policy
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom [1]
Region served
Global
Membership
80% world merchant tonnage
Chairman
Mr Emmanuel Grimaldi
Main organ
Marine Committee
Affiliations International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization, National Governments, Other Inter-Governmental Organizations
Staff
30
Website http://www.ics-shipping.org

The International Chamber of Shipping is one of the world's principal shipping organisations, representing around 80% [2] of the world's merchant tonnage through membership by national shipowners' associations. [1] It is concerned with maritime regulatory, operational and legal issues. [1] Its membership includes over 40 national shipowner organisations. [1]

Contents

A major ICS activity is acting as a consultative body at the United Nations agency with responsibility for the safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment, the International Maritime Organization. ICS represents the global interests of all the different shipping trades in the industry, these include bulk carrier operators, tanker operators, passenger ship operators and container liner trades, including shipowners and third party ship managers.

ICS has consultative status with a number of other intergovernmental bodies which affect shipping, these include: the World Customs Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the World Meteorological Organization. [1] The ICS also has close relationships with industry organisations representing different maritime interests such as shipping, ports, pilotage, the oil industry, insurance and classification societies responsible for the surveying of ships.

History

ICS was established in 1921. [1]

Location

In September 2021, the International Chamber of Shipping left office space near the Baltic Exchange in St Mary Axe and moved to Walsingham House near to Tower Hill. [3]

Publications

The ICS is also responsible for several publications in use in the marine industry, in conjunction with Witherbys. [4] In June 2020, ICS made its maritime publications available as e-books for the first time. [5]

In response to IMO efforts to require cyber security to be addressed under the International Safety Management Code, in November 2019, together with BIMCO and the Witherby Publishing Group, ICS published the Cyber Security Workbook for Onboard Ship Use. [6] [7] The second edition of the nautical workbook was published in 2021. [8] [9]

In May 2020, ICS issued updated health guidance for the global shipping industry to ensure ship operators and crew can safely deal with seafarers struggling with medical conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. [10]

In 2021, ICS produced guidance on Maritime security with a publication entitled Maritime Security - A comprehensive Guide for Shipowners, Seafarers and Administrations. [11] [12]

In August 2022, in partnership with Witherbys and BIMCO, ICS issued a guidance title for the shipping industry on biofouling entitled Biofouling, Biosecurity and Hull Cleaning. [13] [14]

In 2023, together with the Witherby Publishing Group, the organisation released an updated version of the industry publication Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse On Board Ship. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Maritime Organization</span> Specialised agency of the United Nations

The International Maritime Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for regulating shipping. The IMO was established following agreement at a UN conference held in Geneva in 1948 and the IMO came into existence ten years later, meeting for the first time in 17 March 1958. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, IMO currently has 175 Member States and three Associate Members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of convenience</span> Registering a ship in a foreign country

Flag of convenience (FOC) is a business practice whereby a ship's owners register a merchant ship in a ship register of a country other than that of the ship's owners, and the ship flies the civil ensign of that country, called the flag state. The term is often used pejoratively, and although common, the practice is sometimes regarded as contentious.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mission to Seafarers</span>

The Mission to Seafarers is a Christian welfare charity serving merchant crews around the world. It operates through a global Mission 'family' network of chaplains, staff and volunteers and provides practical, emotional and spiritual support through ship visits, drop-in seafarers centres and a range of welfare and emergency support services.

Labour Inspection (Seafarers) Convention, 1996 is an International Labour Organization Convention.

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Nautical publications is a technical term used in maritime circles describing a set of publications, either published by national governments or by commercial and professional organisations, for use in safe navigation of ships, boats, and similar vessels. Other publications might cover topics such as seamanship and cargo operations. In the UK, the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, the Witherby Publishing Group and the Nautical Institute provide numerous navigational publications, including charts, publications on how to navigate and passage planning publications. In the US, publications are issued by the US government and US Coast Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Witherby Publishing Group</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baltic and International Maritime Council</span>

BIMCO is one of the largest of the international shipping associations representing shipowners. BIMCO states that its membership represents approximately 60 percent of the world's merchant shipping tonnage and that it has members in more than 130 countries, including managers, brokers and agents. BIMCO states that its primary objective is to protect its global membership through the provision of information and advice, while promoting fair business practices and facilitating harmonisation and standardisation of commercial shipping practices and contracts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maritime Labour Convention</span> International Labour Organization Convention

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The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) is the voice of the European shipping industry.

The International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) is an international NGO and UK registered charity that aims to assists seafarers and their families. ISWAN is the result of a merger between two organisations. These were the International Committee on Seafarers' Welfare (ICSW) and the International Seafarers Assistance Network (ISAN). ICSW was formed in 1973 and ISAN was established in the late 1990s. These two welfare bodies merged in April 2013 to form ISWAN. ISWAN's headquarters are in Croydon, Greater London.

The Merchant Navy Training Board is a voluntary body responsible for maritime training in the United Kingdom and for the training of the British Merchant Navy. The MNTB are based at the UK Chamber of Shipping office in London and publications are provided by the Witherby Publishing Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIGTTO</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crew management</span>

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Danish shipping's counter-piracy strategy is necessary as Denmark operates one of the world's five largest shipping nations in terms of operated fleet, controlling around 10% of global shipping. At any given time, there are approximately 70 Danish-controlled ships in the Indian Ocean and 30 ships in the Gulf of Guinea. This makes piracy in these areas is a significant concern for the Danish shipping industry and for the Danish state. In 2012, when Somali piracy was at its height, the piracy cost of Danish shipping was estimated to be between 130 and 260 million Euros.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Proshanto, K (2013). Farthing on International Shipping. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 28. ISBN   9783642345982.
  2. "International Chamber of Shipping = About" . Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  3. "The Baltic Quarterly Journal - Summer 2011". Baltic Exchange. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  4. "International Chamber of Shipping and Witherby" . Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  5. "ICS makes maritime publications available as ebooks". Digital Ship Magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  6. "Book Review: Cyber Security Workbook for On Board Ship Use". Maritime Executive. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  7. "How to ensure VSAT modems cannot be hacked". Riviera Maritime. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  8. "ICS unveils new initiatives in shipping's digitalisation". Ship Insight. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  9. "Cyber Security Workbook". BIMCO. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  10. "Global shipping body addresses the health concerns of seafarers during the Covid 19 pandemic". Hellenic Shipping News. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  11. "ICS issues security guidance in new publication". ShipInsight. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  12. "ICS: New guidance on maritime security". Marine Log. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  13. "Biofouling, Biosecurity and Hull Cleaning, First Edition". Tanker Operator. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  14. "Biofouling: A multi-layered ESG problem". Lloyd's List . Retrieved 22 August 2022.(subscription required)
  15. "Latest edition of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse On Board Ship published". Ship Management International. April 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.