Today - Monday 19th February 2024 – marks the three-month anniversary since the Houthis seized the Galaxy Leader and its 25 seafarers in the Red Sea. The vessel, a roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier, was seized on 19 November. The maritime industry has joined together from around the world to express their concern for the seafarers who have been held hostage, and call on the Houthis to release the crew of the Galaxy Leader.

Washington/Brussels/London/Singapore, 15 February 2024 – The global shipping regulator, the UN International Maritime Organisation, has set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 for the industry, and now needs to develop climate regulations by 2025 that make it possible to reach that target. A core challenge is how to craft a global greenhouse gas pricing regulation that can bridge the price gap between the cleanest fuels and fossil fuels, driving investments in green fuels, without imposing an outsized cost on the global economy. As member nations prepare for negotiations at the IMO MEPC 81 in March, the World Shipping Council is bringing to the table a proposal on greenhouse gas pricing that can help solve this conundrum.

The European Commission's recommendation for the EU's 2040 climate targets, calling for a 90% net GHG emission reductions, are ambitious and critically important, especially following updates suggesting that EU 2030 goals may be not be met.

The EU goals recognize the need to incentivize the production of green maritime fuels and to prioritize green fuels access for the maritime sector.

Liner shipping has begun the transformative journey towards decarbonisation, and we look forward to contributing to the EU translation of goals into action.

We unite with Customs Officials globally under the leadership of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to commemorate the inaugural meeting of the Customs Co-operation Council in Brussels in 1953, marking International Customs Day (ICD). International Customs Day is observed annually on January 26. We express our appreciation to Secretary-General Saunders of the WCO for adopting the theme "Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners with Purpose." The associations mentioned below, represented in the Trade Contact Group (TCG) established by the European Commission, commend, and support this theme, which could not have come at a better time. For more than two decades, we have played a crucial role in providing valuable expertise to the European Commission, Member States' customs authorities, and other institutional stakeholders.

The World Shipping Council, the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO today expressed their thanks to the 12 nations that have jointly condemned the ongoing illegal attacks on ships in the Red Sea and unlawful detention of vessels and crews there.

The World Shipping Council today expressed its thanks to the member nations of the Operation Prosperity Guardian coalition formed to address the maritime security crisis in the Red Sea region.

The mission of this task force is critical to protecting seafarers and to defending the foundational principle of freedom of navigation. We are grateful that these nations have come together to protect seafarers and the vessels on which they serve, and we hope that the coalition will succeed in creating the necessary conditions for safe passage through the Red Sea.

The World Shipping Council is deeply alarmed and concerned about the escalating security crisis unfolding in the Red Sea region. The disturbing surge of attacks on vessels poses an imminent threat to the safety and lives of the seafarers navigating these waters.

The right of freedom of navigation stands as a fundamental right under international law, and must be safeguarded. The World Shipping Council urgently calls upon the global community to take decisive action to protect seafarers and freedom of navigation.

The time for resolute international engagement is now.

Washington/Brussels/London/Singapore, 7 December 2023 – To deliver on the goal of net zero emissions for shipping by 2050, IMO greenhouse gas regulations must rest on solid foundations. Liner shipping is committed to decarbonising quickly and efficiently, and to support this process the World Shipping Council (WSC) has today published its first contribution to negotiations at IMO MEPC 81, with a paper outlining four cornerstones critical to an effective IMO GHG agreement.

9th November, 2023 - The seven industry bodies dedicated to container safety, collaborating as the Cargo Integrity Group, highlight an independent study carried out by researchers at Italian University Politecnico di Torino into shipper and forwarder application of the CTU Code.  The 2023 survey yielded encouraging signs of adoption and highlighted several convincing arguments – including financial benefits for its use.  

Accidental collisions between ships and whales are a global concern, and can occur wherever there is an overlap between whale activity and vessel traffic. To help seafarers plan their voyages to minimize the risk of collisions, the World Shipping Council (WSC) is today launching the WSC Whale Chart. This navigational aid is the first global mapping of all mandatory and voluntary governmental measures to reduce harm to whales from ships. The WSC Whale Chart is available for free to all interested parties and will be regularly updated.

Brussels, 10 October 2023 – Following the publication today of its CBER Staff Working Document, the European Commission’s DG COMP has announced that it will let the sector-specific Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER) lapse, and that liner shipping vessel sharing agreements will be regulated under the general EU antitrust rules based on the Horizontal Block Exemption Regulation and Specialisation Block Exemption Regulation. Vessel sharing is an operational measure allowing ocean carriers to use ships more efficiently whilst continuing to compete on price and other commercial terms.

Washington, Singapore, Brussels, London, 28 September 2023 – Despite industry and government efforts, dangerous cargo that has not been declared, or that has been incorrectly declared or labelled, continues to cause fires and explosions, hurting and killing vessel crew and transportation staff. In response to this continued safety challenge the World Shipping Council (WSC), representing liner carriers, is taking additional action to strengthen cargo safety standards and protect the lives of the people working in the supply chain, the environment, and the integrity of the global supply network.

Brussels, 21 September – The European Shipping Summit 2023 in Brussels 19-20 September brought together representatives from across the maritime industry, government, finance, as well as energy and technology industries to address some of the most pressing topics for the future of the industry and of Europe. Making the most of this unique platform, the World Shipping Council gathered people and organisations to drive progress on the availability of renewable maritime fuels and the fight against drug trafficking. While the topics are diverse, leaders at both sessions agreed – together we go further, faster.  

17 July 2023 – The international supply chain is probably one of the most complex networks man has created, carrying 250 million containers every year. Its safe and smooth functioning relies on everyone in the chain taking responsibility for the integrity and cleanliness of the container when in their care. To help address this, the revised Unified Container Inspection & Repair Criteria (UCIRC) published by BIC, ICS and WSC now includes inspection criteria for container depots and other container handover facilities to address pest contamination on and in containers.

London, 7 July 2023 – At MEPC 80, IMO member nations met the shipping industry’s call for action on climate, setting a target of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and interim targets for 2030 and 2040. Most importantly, the updated GHG strategy now sets a clear timeline for the development of the lifecycle-based global fuel standard and economic instrument, to be agreed by 2025 and ready for implementation in 2027.

Washington/Singapore/Brussels/London, 22 May 2023 – The World Shipping Council (WSC) has released its annual report on containers lost at sea, revealing positive developments in container safety within the international liner shipping industry. The report covers the year 2022, showing that 661 containers were lost overboard during the year.  

In total 661 containers lost at sea in 2022, out of 250 million transported. This represents the lowest losses in % since the start of the survey in 2008. The improved numbers are positive news, but there is no time for complacency and we will continue our work to reduce the number of containers lost at sea. Safety is a job that never stops, and every container lost at sea will always be one too many.

As active members of the European Commission's Trade Contact Group (TCG), we have constantly engaged in a constructive manner to support the full implementation of the Union Customs Code (UCC) and have always recognized its essential role in sustaining compliant, effective and efficient international trade. Therefore, we are poised to work in the closest collaborative partnership with the European Commission, the European Parliament and all EU Member States to deliver a successful implementation of the UCC reform.

The Shipping Act establishes rules that provide legal certainty to ocean carriers to share space on ships while ensuring competitive markets. Being able to share space on ships allows more carriers to provide more services more efficiently to more ports than carriers could provide individually. That is good for shippers, ports, consumers, and all of the workers that keep the global supply network running. H.R. 1696 would remove that system and undermine competitiveness and choice for liner shipping services.

Every year, 241 million containers are transported across the seas with over 7 trillion dollars’ worth of food, clothes, electronics and other goods we all need. While crucial for the smooth functioning of the global supply chain, containers and their cargoes can also harbour and transfer contaminating pests. All parties in the supply chain have a shared responsibility for stopping the spread of pests by keeping cargo and containers clean when in their custody. The updated Prevention of Pest Contamination of Containers: Joint Industry Guidelines for the Cleaning of Containers published by BIC, COA, IICL and WSC provide easy-to-use best practices to help everyone carry out their responsibilities.