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China Shipowners’ Association has joined the International Chamber of Shipping as a full member from January 1
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CSA gains seat on the ICS Board, which oversees policies for shipowners worldwide
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The association hopes to use ICS as a platform to provide more assistance to the Chinese shipping industry and support for the transition to low-carbon green shipping
The China Shipowners’ Association (CSA) joined the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) as a full member from January 1, ICS said in a statement.
The CSA will join the ICS Board, which oversees the policy positions ICS presents on behalf of shipowners’ worldwide with the shipping industry’s global regulators, including the UN International Maritime Organization and the International Labor Organization.
ICS chairman Emanuele Grimaldi welcomed CSA’s membership. “As a hub for global shipping, China plays a major role in maritime transport, including an influential role on the international stage. This membership will strengthen our ability to work together, united as an industry, to tackle the most pressing issues facing shipping, such as decarbonization. It is only through partnership that we will all succeed,” he said.
“The whole of the ICS membership look forward to working with the CSA, and to enhance future co-operation with the Chinese shipping industry as we address the challenges ahead for our sector.”
Zhang Shouguo, CSA executive vice-president, said CSA’s “participation in the ICS will provide Chinese shipowners with a stepping stone, (that) can contribute to globalization by constructing a safe supply chain and making the Chinese shipping industry heard. Chinese shipowners will grow together with other international maritime companies. CSA also hopes to make use of the ICS information platform to provide more assistance to the Chinese shipping industry, and also the necessary support for the transition to low-carbon green shipping.
“The cooperation between the China Shipowners’ Association and the ICS will have an important impact on both parties. It is believed that the participation of the China Shipowners’ Association will enrich the ICS platform. We look forward to achieving win-win cooperation and mutual development in the future!”
CSA’s entry as a full member of the chamber follows years of negotiations bolstered by the setting up of the China Liaison Office in Hong Kong in 2019. Established in 1993, CSA is a voluntary trade organization whose members are owners, operators and managers of merchant ships registered in China. The CSA helps Chinese government agencies regulate and maintain fair competition, and reflect the views of its membership.
As of April 2017, CSA had 215 members operating a merchant fleet of more than 70 million deadweight tons, which accounts for about 85% of the country’s total carrying capacity.
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