In a joint statement, EU port and maritime stakeholders welcome the adoption of the Council General Approach and commend the Member States’ work towards a reform that facilitates trade, enhances competitiveness and EU security. We urge Member States, the Parliament and the Commission to finalise the agreement but not before remedying several outstanding issues that could jeopardise the reform’s success.

We write today to express our deep concern with the vehicle carrier remedies that have been actioned in Annex III of your “Section 301 Investigation of China’s Targeting the Maritime, Logistics and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance”. Annex III contains significant flaws that if not amended, will inflict economic harm on U.S. manufacturers who export $20 billion annually by sea in American-made cars and tractors, and American consumers who are facing increasing vehicle prices.

Geopolitical and global economic challenges have underlined the imperative for Europe to enhance both its competitiveness and its security. With 90% of the EU’s external trade carried by sea it is vital that the reform of the Union Customs Code (UCC) facilitates: maritime transport, the smooth handling of goods and their efficient storage in EU ports. Europe’s competitiveness and security depends on the secure but seamless connection of maritime transport to hinterland logistics chains. We must choose smart customs reform.

The EU Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER) is an essential regulatory tool that yields significant benefits to a variety of stakeholders, including Member States, with no downside from a competition or consumer welfare perspective. The CBER contributes to the connectivity and competitiveness of Member State economies, to the benefit of their exporters and consumers, whilst also making important contributions to climate goals.

In the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA 22) Congress directed the Commission to initiate a rulemaking that, “shall only seek to further clarify reasonable rules and practices related to . . . the final rule published on May 18, 2020, entitled ‘Interpretive Rule on Demurrage and Detention Under the Shipping Act’.” Instead of following that instruction, the Commission proposes to abandon the Interpretive Rule’s fact-specific analysis entirely and replaces it with absolute prohibitions on charging detention or demurrage to broad classes of entities.

WSC agrees with the Commission that allegations of “unreasonable refusal to deal or negotiate” be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and that using a suite of non-exclusive factors is both appropriate and consistent with its past precedent. This is the approach that the Commission has consistently used when adjudicating cases brought under 46 U.S.C. § 41104(a) and its predecessors. It is important to remember in this regard that OSRA 22 did not create the “unreasonable refusal to deal” prohibition. Instead, OSRA 22 merely added language to the section by expressly naming vessel space accommodations as a factual situation to which the prohibition applies. Thus, adherence to past Commission precedent is required absent a reasoned explanation why its prior policies and standards are being changed.

Although WSC agrees with the Commission’s general approach, there are four specific points on which WSC urges the Commission to amend its proposal before publishing a final rule…

Letter from the World Shipping Council, Assarmatori and Danish Shipping to Members of the European Parliament.

On 17 May, the ENVI Committee will vote on Peter Liese’s Committee Report amending the EC draft proposal to include international shipping within the EU ETS. We welcome this key moment in the history of EU climate action and on the path towards shipping’s green future.

Every day, tens of thousands of containers arrive at seaports from countries all around the world. Liner shipping – container and roll-on-roll-off (roro) vessels – is the backbone of global supply chains.

The COVID-19 pandemic that hit the world in 2020 triggered a “perfect storm” for global container shipping, putting a strain on supply chains and disrupting global trade.

The container supply chain is made up of multiple businesses and individuals, each of which are taking steps to remove bottlenecks and increase container velocity. These are operational measures that require constant dialogue between service providers and shippers to support each other and collaborate for better outcomes. Ocean carriers recognise the part they must play in that and are actively engaging to meet shipper demand and ease the flow of goods.

The World Shipping Council is committed to working with the EU Institutions to achieve the Green Deal’s goals through good policy that will support industry greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and move as fast as possible to zero GHG emissions. EU Policy, including the revision to the EU ETS Directive has a unique opportunity to strengthen, motivate and complement global policy for reducing GHGs in international shipping.

WSC supports inclusion of maritime sector in the EU ETS, and targeted amendments to the EC proposal can optimize its impact both within the EU and on the global stage.

The World Shipping Council is committed to working with the EU Institutions to achieve the Green Deal’s goals through good policy that will support industry GHG reduction targets and move as fast as possible to zero GHG emissions. EU Policy, including the Fuel EU Maritime Regulation has a unique opportunity to strengthen, motivate and complement global policy for reducing GHGs in international shipping.