Our latest news and releases

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World Shipping Council Releases Container Lost at Sea Report - 2025 Update

The World Shipping Council (WSC) has released its annual Containers Lost at Sea report, showing that 576 containers were lost at sea in 2024. While this represents an increase from the record-low 221 containers lost in 2023, it remains well below the 10-year average of 1,274 containers lost annually, underscoring continued industry progress on safety and prevention.

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Safety Arthur Huxham Safety Arthur Huxham

Hidden Dangers of Fire initiating Cargoes explained

The industry bodies of the Cargo Integrity Group expand on their concerns relating to cargoes that can catch fire and cause significant damage and casualties under certain conditions. Circumstances created by an alignment of mistakes, oversights, or failed controls can turn a minor incident into a major event.

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New S&P Global Report: Liner Shipping Supports $1.1 Trillion in U.S. GDP and 9 Million American Jobs

New analysis from S&P Global, released today by the World Shipping Council, highlights the critical role of the liner shipping industry in the U.S. economy.

The report independently quantifies the annual impact of the liner shipping industry - across key metrics including GDP contribution, employment, wages, sales activity, and government revenues.

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Anna Larsson Anna Larsson

Unprecedented global agreement gives shipping clarity on critical next step to decarbonization

The World Shipping Council has welcomed an unprecedented global agreement at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) today, as a critical next step toward shipping decarbonization.
Following a contentious and difficult debate, the IMO reached agreement on a measure to be finalized and adopted in October. The measure establishes a GHG fuel standard and framework that, if adopted, will require continuous reductions in GHG fuel intensity beginning in 2028 with ongoing reductions over the next two decades. IMO is poised to move forward on a topic that has evaded legally binding standards in many other fora for decades.

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WSC welcomes Executive Order on revitalizing U.S. maritime industry

World Shipping Council President & CEO Joe Kramek welcomes the U.S. administration's plan to rebuild American shipbuilding through strategic public-private investment, workforce development, and targeted incentives to rebuild shipbuilding capacity. 

“We want to work constructively with the administration on its efforts to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry,” Joe Kramek said. 

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WSC statement ahead of MEPC 83

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is on the cusp of striking the world’s first global carbon pricing deal for any industry. “If that happens, it’ll be a major milestone for climate policy and a turning point for shipping,” said World Shipping Council President & CEO Joe Kramek.

To succeed, the measure must help bridge the price gap between fossil fuels and cleaner alternatives, including zero and near-zero (ZNZ) fuels. That’s essential to drive investment in green energy and fuel supply, and to build the economies of scale needed to reduce cost over time.

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World Shipping Council urges USTR to drop retroactive port fees, pursue more effective alternatives to boost U.S. shipbuilding

The World Shipping Council (WSC) today expressed its support for the United States Trade Representative’s goal of building a vibrant U.S. maritime sector, while expressing its strong opposition to the proposed fee on port calls for Chinese-built vessels, and fleets that contain Chinese-built vessels or have vessels on order from China, saying it would aggravate inflation for U.S. consumers and businesses, threaten jobs, and have especially negative impacts on U.S. farmers and other exporters.

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WSC Technology Day: Strengthening the Fight Against Drug Trafficking

Brussels, Belgium, February 10, 2025 – The close collaboration between ocean carriers, customs authorities, law enforcement and regulators have led to successes in disrupting drug trafficking through containerized shipping. To build on this momentum, the World Shipping Council (WSC) convened its first-ever “Technology Day” at the World Customs Organization (WCO) headquarters in Brussels on January 30-31, 2025. This milestone event reinforced the deepening cooperation between industry stakeholders and government agencies in advancing security technologies to combat illicit trade.

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EU must take customs reform opportunity

Ahead of World Customs Day 2025, the shipping, logistics, and trade industry has issued a joint statement calling for customs reform that keeps pace with the growing complexity of global trade. 

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Release of Galaxy Leader crew

What immense relief for the Galaxy Leader crew and their families to hear the news of their release after 14 months in captivity," Joe Kramek, President and CEO of World Shipping Council said.

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