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.

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.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) today filed a petition for review with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit seeking to have the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) correct an internal contradiction in its new rule on detention and demurrage. 

Brussels, April 18, 2024 — The World Shipping Council (WSC) is calling on the EU to design policy frameworks that facilitate the essential role of shipping in a globally connected economy and to forge the path to net-zero shipping by 2050 in partnership with industry.

Washington/Brussels/London/Singapore, April 17, 2024 — The World Shipping Council (WSC), the united voice of liner shipping, is happy to announce that the WSC Board has appointed Joe Kramek as its new President & CEO, to succeed John Butler upon his retirement at the end of July. Joe Kramek brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role, from both the maritime sector and government service.

Every year, 250 million containers are transported across the world with 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, and the Prevention of Pest Contamination of Containers: Joint Industry Guidelines for the Cleaning of Containers provide easy-to-use best practices to help everyone do their part. For this update, we are also happy to welcome ICHCA as a new partner together with BIC, COA, IICL and WSC.

Over the past two weeks, IMO member states and organisations have collaborated to align and organise the work towards mid-term measures to decarbonise the shipping industry. MEPC 81 was an important opportunity for all parties to review and discuss the many proposals on the table. The MEPC has agreed on a framework for the mid-term measures including a fuel standard and an economic measure, as well as set up the necessary expert groups, laying the foundation for an agreement that will deliver on the target of net-zero by 2050.

Wildlife crime continues to pose a significant threat to biodiversity, local and national economies, as well as national and international security. The illicit trafficking of wildlife not only endangers countless species but also undermines the stability of ecosystems and jeopardizes the livelihoods of communities worldwide. Recognising the severity of this issue, ten leading organisations have joined forces to combat illegal wildlife trafficking through increasing awareness and vigilance across global supply chains.

Washington/Brussels/London/Singapore, 13 March 2024 – Despite mandatory international and national regulations on the transport of dangerous goods, these goods continue to be mis-declared or not declared, driving an alarming increase in ship fires. Addressing the need for improved safety measures, the World Shipping Council (WSC) is developing the Cargo Safety Program and is today pleased to announce that the National Cargo Bureau (NCB) has been selected as the independent provider for the Cargo Safety Program digital platform.

Industry Associations express their deep concern over the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered by the crew of MV True Confidence in an attack in the Red Sea on 6 March 2024. The loss of life and injuries to civilian seafarers is completely unacceptable. Merchant vessels crewed by civilian seafarers transporting global trade have a right to innocent passage through the region without the threat of attack. The frequency of attacks on merchant shipping highlights the urgent need for all stakeholders to take decisive action to safeguard the lives of innocent civilian seafarers and put an end to such threats. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to all those affected by this terrible event.

Today, the European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee (IMCO) adopted its report on the reform of the Union Customs Code (UCC). This core economic legislation determines the efficiency, resilience and competitiveness of the EU’s external border for trade. More than ever getting that right is vital for the EU’s businesses and citizens. Ninety percent of the EU’s external trade relies on shipping, making it vital that the UCC is well adapted to this strategic sector. The UCC needs to facilitate maritime transport, including by enabling efficient goods storage in ports, thus enabling the seamless connection of maritime transport to hinterland logistics chains.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) today expressed gratitude to EUNAVFOR on the launch of Operation ASPIDES, a defensive maritime security operation to  safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea  - and adjacent international waters.

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.