The World Shipping Council (WSC) today voiced serious concerns regarding the port fee regime announced by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), cautioning that the measures could undermine American trade, hurt U.S. producers, and weaken efforts to strengthen the nation’s maritime industry.

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.

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.

The shipping industry is taking proactive steps to implement improved safety measures for transporting charcoal, ahead of mandatory IMO regulations in 2026.  

The World Shipping Council (WSC) Board of Directors has elected Soren Toft, CEO of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, as the new Chair of the World Shipping Council Board. Randy Chen, Vice Chairman of Wan Hai Lines, has been elected Vice Chair.

Pest-resistant container design took centre stage at a meeting between specialists from the global container shipping industry and biosecurity experts, aiming to address the $423 billion global challenge posed by invasive pests every year.

The designated European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, will play a pivotal role in securing supply chains and decarbonising the shipping sector, the World Shipping Council said, welcoming the opportunity to continue a constructive dialogue with the EU Commission.

Washington D.C., 23 October 2024 – The World Shipping Council (WSC) is pleased to announce the release of the second edition of the WSC Whale Chart, a vital voyage planning tool aimed at helping the global merchant shipping industry protect whale populations. Building on the positive response to the first edition, published in November 2023, this updated version incorporates additional features to assist ship operators in reducing the risk of vessel strikes and mitigating underwater noise pollution, both of which can significantly impact marine life.

Engineers, technologists, regulators and shipping experts will gather at a unique conference in Rotterdam this November to consider the scope for redesigning the exterior and interior surfaces of intermodal freight containers used for sea transport to reduce the risk of them becoming contaminated by plant or animals and inadvertently contributing to the global spread of invasive pests.

The maritime industry, represented by the signatory industry organizations, is united in its pursuit of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 consistent with the International Maritime Organization’s 2023 Strategy. Significant work remains and IMO Member States must build on the historic momentum that delivered the 2023 Strategy to develop, adopt, and implement appropriate mid-term GHG reduction measures.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Tamekia Flack as its new Director of U.S. Government Relations, effective immediately.  Tamekia will lead WSC’s efforts to advance key safety, security, and environmental priorities in the U.S.A.

The Cargo Integrity Group is issuing an urgent reminder of the need for an emergency contact telephone number to be provided for shipments of dangerous goods, following recent experiences reported by its partner organizations.

The Cargo Integrity Group (CIG) commends the recent circular issued by the China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) following the explosion incident involving the vessel "YM Mobility" on August 9, 2024, at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. This incident, along with other recent fires aboard container vessels, underscores the critical need for enhanced safety measures and vigilance in the transport of dangerous goods by sea.

Washington/Singapore/Brussels/London, 30 July 2024 – Following positive response and encouraging conversations with IMO member nations and other stakeholders, the World Shipping Council (WSC) has further developed the Green Balance Mechanism, a regulatory measure designed to ensure that shipping meets it net-zero goal by 2050 in an efficient, just and equitable way. A detailed proposal, including design updates and regulatory text for the Green Balance Mechanism, has been submitted to support the timely development of effective climate regulations for shipping at the IMO ISWG-GHG 17 and MEPC 82 meetings.

The shipping community is appalled and deeply saddened with the tragic news that, yet another seafarer seems certain to have been killed in a drone boat strike on Wednesday 12 June while on board the MV Tutor in the Red Sea. We utterly condemn these assaults which directly contravene the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation.

Washington/Singapore/Brussels/London, 11 June 2024 – The World Shipping Council (WSC) today released its annual report on containers lost at sea, showing a significant decrease to 221 containers lost in 2023. While this is the lowest number recorded since the survey began in 2008, the WSC underscores the ongoing need for stringent safety measures and constant vigilance, as every container lost at sea is one too many.

The industry bodies of the Cargo Integrity Group continue in their mission to improve safety in the global supply chain. The Group has identified a number of cargoes, commonly carried in containers, that under certain conditions can cause dangerous incidents. They urge everyone handling these goods to follow all applicable regulations, the CTU Code and industry best practices.

Washington/London, 3 June 2024 - The World Shipping Council (WSC) applauds the recent adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) by the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 108). Starting January 1, 2026, these amendments will require mandatory reporting of all containers lost at sea, setting a new standard for maritime safety and environmental protection.

Global and European trade associations representing shippers, forwarders and vessel operators have issued an urgent alert to all businesses involved in the movement of goods into or via the European Union, Norway, Switzerland or Northern Ireland, by sea, road or rail to be ready for the new Import Control System (ICS2) that will start to be introduced from June this year.

Your Excellency Secretary-General Guterres, The maritime industry, represented by the organisations behind this letter, are grateful for the recognition that the UN Security Council and you personally have placed on the shipping industry and the importance of the free movement as set out in international law. We also thank and applaud IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez for all the hard work raising the profile of shipping and our seafarers.