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In 2018, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) received widespread support when it announced a landmark strategy to reduce shipping emissions. It outlined a plan to reduce carbon emissions intensity by at least 40 per cent compared with 2008 levels by 2030, and by at least 70 per cent by 2050, as well as reducing total emissions by 50 per cent by 2050, thereby ensuring that the international shipping industry plays its part in helping to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Reducing shipping emissions is a vital component of the fight against global climate change, yet greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime sector are increasing. According to an IMO study published last month, emissions are projected to increase by as much as 130 per cent by 2050 compared with 2008 levels if mitigation measures are not urgently put in place. This is an important issue for the global commodities trade, which is a major user of the shipping fleet. It is time to consider radical measures to close the competitiveness gap between carbon-intensive fuels and low or zero-carbon alternatives. The IMO has immense influence, for instance new rules brought in by the IMO since the beginning of the year have forced the use of shipping fuels with stricter sulphur standards, and further ship efficiency improvements are in the pipeline. We propose the IMO now use its influence to incentivise greater use of low- or zero-carbon maritime fuels. The ships in use, the fuels that power them and the related infrastructure all need to change. Trafigura believes the best way of promoting such change is through the adoption of a market-based measure that would charge a levy on carbon-intensive shipping fuels and subsidise low- and zero-carbon fuels. To this end, we have just submitted a proposal to the IMO for a partial “feebate” system to decarbonise global shipping. We propose a self-financing system where a levy is charged on the use of fuels with a CO2-equivalent intensity above an agreed benchmark level, and a subsidy is provided for fuels with a CO2-equivalent profile below that level. It is now time to put a price on carbon emissions in the shipping industry Our own in-depth analysis and commissioned independent research indicates that the levy should be between $250-$300 per tonne of CO2-equivalent. While primarily bridging the cost gap between carbon intensive and low or zero carbon fuels, this partial “feebate” would also raise billions of dollars for research into alternative fuels and could help assist small island developing states and other developing countries mitigate the impact of climate change. The idea of taxing carbon in shipping is not new. Indeed, the European Commission has just put forward a proposal to include shipping in its emission trading system as part of updated climate goals. But our approach builds on a number of proposals from the shipping industry including that the IMO establish a research and development programme financed by a global tax of $2 per metric tonne of bunker fuel. Our proposal is different in that it would create a genuine market-based measure — a partial “feebate” system — to reduce emissions, together with funding for R&D and for climate change-affected small island developing states. The carbon levy would need to be adjusted as economies of scale are found in the production of lower-carbon fuels and the cost competitiveness gap narrows. Twice weekly newsletter Energy is the world’s indispensable business and Energy Source is its newsletter. Every Tuesday and Thursday, direct to your inbox, Energy Source brings you essential news, forward-thinking analysis and insider intelligence. Sign up here. The initial levy of between $250-$300 per tonne of CO2 equivalent may sound high, but we believe it is necessary. As one of the world’s largest charterers of vessels, responsible for more than 4,000 voyages each year, we recognise that a carbon levy will have an immediate effect on shipping costs which companies — including ours — would bear. This increase in operational costs will spur charterers to change behaviour to reduce emissions, charter more efficient ships and switch to lower carbon fuels. Great efforts have been made in recent years through the Global Maritime Forum, the Getting to Zero Coalition and through other initiatives to create awareness, develop solutions and catalyse a modern maritime sector to take responsibility for its climate impact. It is now time to put a price on carbon emissions in the shipping industry in the form of a global, mandatory industry levy. Jose Maria Larocca is executive director at global commodity trader Trafigura. Rasmus Bach Nielsen is head of fuel decarbonisation at Trafigura. The Commodities Note is an online commentary on the industry from the Financial Times

Source: ft.com

In 2016, the IMO set out new mandatory requirements on electronic data interchange, stating that national authorities have until April 2021 to establish systems for the electronic exchange of information to assist ship clearance processes.

Many port states have already established such systems (maritime single windows) for the exchange of so-called administrative data. However, also port operational data, like notifications and timestamps, as well as nautical data, are part of such exchange of data, which in combination will pave the way for more efficient port operations.

“The software platforms which link ship and shore communication may differ on national levels, and therefore, we should call for international guidelines for the electronic data interchange, using common standards. This is to ensure that all actors in the port process make use of an identical data structure and common interfaces when exchanging information,” says Jeppe Skovbakke Juhl, Manager, Maritime Safety and Security, adding,

“With more than 95,000 ships operating nationally and internationally between approximately 9,000 ports, globally agreed methods and standards to interact and interface are prerequisites for maritime digitalization to succeed.”

Proposal on the table from BIMCO

For FAL 44, BIMCO has co-authored a proposal (FAL 44/18/2) for developing international guidelines for the electronic interface between ship and shore, and for all actors in the port call operation.

The proposed guidelines will ensure interoperability between port stakeholders and ships and facilitate electronic interaction between ports worldwide. This will optimise the efficiency of both ports and ships, and in turn, benefit the global supply chain.

“Although a bit technical, such guidelines should provide the necessary information on authentication of the users, integrity and confidentiality, but also include technical requirements. This could be service interface descriptions, data structures used by the service(s), dynamic behaviour of the service(s) and sequence of operations. This also covers technical issues like choice of protocols and technology for data exchanges, taking due consideration of international standards developments,” Juhl explains.

“A positive side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is that we have been forced to re-examine our daily routines in shipping, taking a gigantic leap forward by establishing digital solutions. The IMO framework is a huge step forward for harmonising the machine-to-machine data exchange communication,” Juhl says.

Timing is extremely important to avoid local or regional standards being implemented. Therefore, BIMCO also calls for the establishment of a robust roadmap and time plan for the completion of an electronic information exchange framework in general, allowing all stakeholders to aligning national projects with the IMO progress. The schedule should also include completion of IMO reference data model and guidance.

Source: bimco

Some 400,000 seafarers from across the globe are now stranded on ships, continuing to work but unable to be relieved, in a deepening crew change crisis which threatens trade and maritime safety.

During a high-level event on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (24 September), Captain Hedi Marzougui, who was in command of a vessel between December 2019 and May 2020, appealed to Governments to act to allow seafarers to come home.

“Not knowing when or if we will be returning home brings a severe mental toll on my crew and myself,” Captain Marzougui said. “I would encourage each and every one of you to think of how you would feel, if you had to work every day, for 12 hours, with no weekends, without seeing your loved ones, and trapped at sea. Now add that you have to do that with no idea of when you will be repatriated.”

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on travel and transit have severely impacted on seafarers.  Despite multiple pleas to Governments to designate them as essential key workers and to facilitate their travel, the number of seafarers whose contracts have been extended by several months has continued to increase. Some seafarers have now been at sea for 17 months without a break, well beyond the 11-month limit set out in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). Besides the 400,000 seafarers stuck at sea, another 400,000 are unable to join ships.

This threatens the fundamentals of ship safety standards which the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has worked to develop over six decades, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim (download speech here) told the online event, which brought together leaders from major global businesses, the maritime industry, government, the UN and unions.

“Overly fatigued and mentally exhausted seafarers are being asked to continue to operate ships,” Mr. Lim said. On more than 60,000 cargo ships which continue to deliver vital goods, foods and medicines, ship safety is hanging in the balance, just as seafarers’ lives are being made impossible. The safety of navigation is in peril.”

Secretary-General Lim restated his plea to Governments: “Action is needed – and is needed now. We all depend on seafarers. They should not be the collateral victims in this pandemic. Seafarers deliver for us – and now we need to deliver for them.”

In a statement read out at the event, to mark World Maritime Day 2020, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his concern for seafarers stranded at sea. He renewed his appeal to Governments “to address their plight by formally designating seafarers and other marine personnel as ‘key workers’, ensuring safe crew changes and implementing the protocols developed by UN agencies, as well as the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation, allowing stranded seafarers to be repatriated and others to join ships.”

In a letter issued to the UN Secretary General, the CEOs of 30 Consumer Goods Forum companies, including Unilever and Danone, have called on governments to designate seafarers as “key workers” and raised strong human rights concerns, stating: “the situation has also inadvertently created a modern form of forced labour”.

Unilever’s Chief Supply Chain Officer Marc Engel said COVID safe crew changes were needed without delay. “When the ships stop, so does everything else. We are now close to an entirely avoidable breaking point which could ripple out through the economy. Even a temporary interruption could push companies and countries over the edge,” he said. Ms. Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, VP and CEO, Fleet and Strategic Brands at A.P. Moller-Maersk echoed the call for words to be followed by action.

Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, encouraged businesses to call on governments to end the labour abuses that seafarers are suffering, noting that the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact represent pillars of responsible business which “are connected to the humanitarian, economic and safety crisis unfolding on our seas.”

Both Guy Platten, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping and Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation called on governments to intervene to end the crew change crisis, warning the numbers of seafarers impacted would only continue to increase without coordinated action by governments.

ILO Director General Guy Ryder called on governments to implement urgent and pragmatic solutions that fully respect seafarers’ rights. “Seafarers are exhausted and simply cannot continue working on board indefinitely,” Mr. Ryder said.

Transport and maritime ministers from Canada, France, Kenya, Panama and the Philippines also addressed the virtual event. They urged other Governments to join them in designating seafarers as essential workers, implementing measures for safe crew change and facilitating COVID-safe transit for seafarers.

The meeting was convened by the UN Global Compact, the International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization, in collaboration with the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation.

A recording of the event can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/3mIKRCV

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents the world’s national shipowners’ associations and more than 80% of the world merchant fleet, has published its Annual Review for 2020. The Review covers a broad cross-section of issues in which ICS is engaged on behalf of the global shipping industry.

The Review explores, in depth, the significant issues faced by the industry in 2020, including:

• The impact of COVID-19 and the intensifying crew change crisis – COVID-19 related restrictions on travel and the ability to rotate crew, leaving 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.
• Efforts to decarbonise shipping, including the ongoing negotiations at the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the radical industry proposal for a USD 5 billion fund to accelerate the R&D of zero-carbon technologies.

This year’s Review offers a comprehensive analysis of ICS’s activities across a wide range of subjects. This includes: piracy in West Africa and the continuing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean; supporting the successful implementation of the IMO 2020 Sulphur Cap and the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention; defending the global pollution liability regime; and pushing for a fundamental review of the STCW Convention on seafarers’ training standards.

The Review is of interest to anyone involved with international shipping, including shipping companies, maritime administrations and policymakers. A full copy of the Annual Review can be downloaded here.

Speaking on the publication of the Annual Review, Esben Poulsson, ICS Chairman said:

“For the global shipping industry, 2020 is a year that will be long remembered. As remarked in this year’s Annual Review, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant disruptions to the industry’s way of working. ICS continues to be at the forefront of addressing the ongoing crew change crisis, making every effort to persuade governments to facilitate the repatriation of 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.”

“While much of this Review necessarily focuses on COVID-19, the vital work of ICS continues, representing the global industry with its global regulators.

“This includes critical work on the reduction of the industry’s CO2 emissions, to which ICS remains fully committed. Last December, ICS, along with industry partners, proposed the establishment of a USD 5 billion global R&D fund dedicated to zero-carbon technologies. Support from governments for this bold initiative will be critical if we are to deliver on the ambitious IMO objective to at least halve total emissions from shipping by 2050.”

“As we move into ICS’s centenary year, which will hopefully be far less challenging than 2020, there is still much work for ICS to do in helping to shape the future of shipping.”

SINGAPORE: China’s exports of clean marine fuel in August hit a high for the year, customs data showed on Friday, along with total exports of goods rising the most in nearly one and half years as more economies reopened from lockdown.

Exports of very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5% to comply with emission rules set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), rose to 1.62 million tonnes, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

That was up from 1.18 million tonnes in July. Exports for the first eight months of 2020 totalled 9.26 million tonnes, the customs data showed. Fuel oil imports into bonded storage, which include both high-sulphur and low-sulphur materials, totalled 671,376 tonnes in August.

Part of the high-sulphur imports could be for deliveries into bonded storage against the futures contracts traded at the Shanghai Futures Exchange. Chinese refineries have expanded their production capacity of VLSFO amid Beijing’s push to reduce its reliance on imports of bunker fuel used to power ships and to create its own marine fuel hub to supply northern Asia.

Plants began exporting VLSFO in January after Beijing offered tax incentives to boost local production. However, only state-owned refiners China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, China National Petroleum Corp, China National Offshore Oil Corp and Sinochem Corp, along with private refiner Zhejiang Petrochemical Corp are allowed to export under a combined quota of 10 million tonnes.

The table below shows China’s fuel oil imports and exports, all in metric tonnes. The column of exports under bonded storage trade largely captures China’s VLSFO bunkering sales along its coast.

Source: energy.economictimes

In a wide-ranging interview with Container News, the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s container experts Alfredo Parroquín-Ohlson and Bingbing Song, have addressed many of the key issues arising from this year’s Cargo Integrity Campaign, ahead of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 102) meeting later this month.

The campaign has sought to shine a light on the issues that those in the industry consider to be the key safety and regulatory concerns for cargo owners, crew, ship operators and others with an interest in the safe and secure movement of cargo.

One of the most common complaints from industry is the failure of member states to implement IMO regulations uniformly, and in some cases the failure has consequences. The implementation of the Verified gross mass (VGM) rules have been beset with difficulties, given that the UK imposes a £20,000 fine for transgressions whereas the Dutch government fines for a similar transgression attracts the equivalent of a £300 pound fine.

It is a difficulty that the IMO recognises, and the organisation started mandatory member state audits in 2016, with an audit team (formed of auditors nominated by other Member States) looking into the implementation of IMO rules by another member state. All the audits are confidential, unless the audited state decides to make the review public. The audits cover responsibilities of IMO Member States under a number of IMO treaties, including SOLAS.

All member states will be audited, with new ways of working during the pandemic, the reviews look at what the member states’ responsibilities are, including the reporting requirements, how they carry out their functions.

Access to the full audit reports are limited, however, if a certain section of the IMO, the cargoes section for example, wants to see the outcome of an audit they can access that related subject and the IMO will then be able to offer support to the member state through technical co-operation.  This has led to targeted capacity building work said an IMO spokeswoman

Parroquín-Ohlson explains that there are noticeable differences in the way that rules are applied between states, but he says “It reflects on the way they apply regulations, but it’s because of the different capabilities of the countries involved, and the different capacities of countries to deal with regulations.” That could be for instance a lack of personnel or a lack of training.

One of the critical factors is getting new regulations translated into national law and the audits have identified a lack of maritime lawyers within the maritime transport administrations in some states to deal with that process. As a result IMO has been running seminars to address this challenge.

This has led to targeted capacity building work said an IMO spokeswoman.

Differences in the application of regulations along with the decisions of some jurisdictions, notably the US Federal Maritime Commission and European Union, to regulate regionally, has exposed the cumbersome nature of regulation at the IMO.

Song acknowledges the difficulties. “This is one of our challenges,” he said. “Regional and different regulations and the fragmentation of regulations is adding complexity and burdens on industry and everyone involved. But when it comes to cargo related regulations we have good examples regarding harmonisation.”

The shipping industry has a good record, with a lot of international regulations, the UN has an Orange Book with recommendations covered in all transport modes. IMO has taken care of maritime provisions the International Civil Aviation Organisation has covered their part for air transport. “There is already very good collaboration between the sectors.” The aim, ultimately, is the harmonisation of regulations on the movement of cargo on a multimodal modality,” said Song.

Nowhere is the need for further harmonisation of regulations more critical than in cases where safety is an issue. Harmonisation requires collaboration and both Parroquín-Ohlson and Song agree that cargo fires on board ships must be tackled as an urgent issue by the regulator.

Carriage regulations are required to help vessel operators understand what is inside a container, so that it can be handled correctly in transit, and should there be an incident on board, but also fire detection and firefighting regulations are needed to make certain that when there is a fire on a ship, the crew have the equipment to deal with it.

Of all the issues raised on this website since February perhaps one of the most contentious has been the increase in fires on board container ships, largely due to the misdeclaration of hazardous cargo, either intentionally or through a lack of knowledge.

More cargo on larger ships built to regulations that even the regulator, the IMO, believes need updating. Parroquín-Ohlson pointed out that not all fires on board a container ships are initiated by cargo, and the cause can often be unsubstantiated.

Nevertheless, whatever ignited the blaze the issue of fighting fires on board a container vessel remains contentious. The fire safety and regulatory regime under which vessels are designed and operated is considered by some in the industry to be obsolete, given the increased size of container ships, the size of stacks and numbers of containers on board the latest ships.

It is an issue that will be raised at the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) 102 later this month, confirmed Parroquín-Ohlson, and Song also pointed out that while there was a “Compelling need to review container ship design regulations on fire protection, detection and extinction arrangements,” there had been amendments to the SOLAS Convention, the Safety Of Life At Sea regulations, and the IMO’s safety code.

Song also pointed out that one of the effects of the pandemic has been to delay the development of regulation and that MSC 102 should have taken place in the spring of 2020, even so the IMO intends to take steps to improve the regulations concerned with firefighting equipment on board the growing number of ships that are also increasing in size posing new challenges for designers and crew, not to mention those ensuring that cargo in containers is correctly declared and stowed.

According to Song, “We have received several proposals to look into the firefighting regulations and fire protection regulations,” and he went on to say, “I believe there is a general desire from the member states and from the international organisations to take further steps towards improving the current situation regarding container ship fires.”

Nevertheless, Song added, “I firmly believe that, tackling the misdeclaration and non-declaration of dangerous goods and fires on board container ships must be a collaborative effort, not only regulators, but also shippers, carriers, freight forwarders and all the stakeholders in the supply chain must share the responsibility, everyone has a role to play.”

Clearly, Song is talking about prevention here and it is a refrain that will be supported by most of those in the industry, with the understanding that fighting fire on a cargo ship begins with prevention, and that means knowing what cargo you are carrying and the properties of that the cargo.

According to Song the IMO is getting “Increasing alarms alerting us to the container fires, which could lead to misdeclaration and non-declaration of dangerous goods as a major cause of shipboard fire, I cannot tell if it’s exactly, or only because of that, but more and more it is pointing in this direction,” said Song.

Knowing precisely what is in each and every container is “Very difficult to verify,” conceded Parroquín-Ohlson, given the sheer numbers of containers involved, adding that some ports use scanners, “But that’s not suitable for all ports.”

He also pointed to the random container checks, for example those carried out by South Korea which has established a special entity to perform random inspections for export containers, “The intention is to harmonise and enforce the regulations,” said Parroquín-Ohlson.

IMO is open to looking for a procedure that will verify what is in a container, “We need a comprehensive revision of all the regulations to see if we can close this gap, we need a good proposal that we can analyse to see if it can work, for all member states,” explained Parroquín-Ohlson.

Song believes that to “close the gap” there is a need to make sure that cargo is properly identified and declared well before the container reaches the ship, “It cannot be left to the very last stage,” said Song.

Parroquín-Ohlson points out that the Carriage of Cargo and Containers (CCC) sub-committee at the IMO is currently carrying out a, “Comprehensive revision of all the special provisions contained in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code to see if they can close this gap to the special provisions contained in the code to minimise the misdeclaration of dangerous goods.”

However, he emphasised, “It’s a good initiative, but we recognise that we are trying to eliminate intentional non-declaration of the cargo, you can modify the whole code but it won’t work because there is an intention behind it, to avoid hazardous cargo regulations and costs.” He added, “Misdeclaration can be a mistake, but non-declaration is a criminal act.”

Finding the non-declared, criminal cargo is a difficult problem, there are few methods of identifying these hazardous cargoes, with the very high number of containers it is difficult to inspect the containers.

Asked whether there would be a possibility of ensuring that any new regulation could be uniformly applied Parroquín-Ohlson responded that it is the intention for the regulations and the “spirit” of the rules is for them to be applied equally, across the globe.

Pointing to the application of the rules on verified gross mass (VGM) Parroquín-Ohlson says there is very little wriggle room in the regulation, “but there is no harmonised way to implement this in the member states, but the idea is to harmonise,” he said.

According to Parroquín-Ohlson the technical rule is clear and leaves very little doubt on its application, but when it comes to fines and the local application of the regulation, “it is very difficult for IMO to intervene”.

For firefighting, knowing what is in a container is clearly crucial, knowing how much a container weighs is also critical for loading patterns and the safety of crew and the vessel, not to mention the integrity of other cargoes. Collapsing container stacks are a risk to crew and the size of vessels has again come under scrutiny as stacks have become higher.

Lashing has also become an issue with crew complaining of having to lash containers on moving vessels under dangerous conditions and often these crew are untrained or relatively new to the industry.

Both Song and Parroquín-Ohlson made the distinction between lashing operations in the loading port, and reinforcement of lashing that often occurs at sea to tighten twistlocks or lashing rods to make certain that cargo is secure during transit, or the more complex manoeuvring necessary to handle heavy lashing rods during lashing or unlashing operations, on a moving vessel.

However, Parroquín-Ohlson said that, as a former seafarer he had performed lashing duties, but he emphasised that specific training would be beneficial before crew carry out these duties in port or in transit, but it is not the place for the secretariat to push the member states into a particular direction.

Song added that the issue is a critical one, it is necessary to raise awareness of the safety issues related to lashing work. He went on to say the loss of life due to the obvious dangers associated with these tasks is one of great regret, he added that the secretariat is ready to help to improve the situation and facilitate further regulatory development, depending on the wishes of the member states.

The IMO secretariat has limited remit to raise these issues without a particular proposal from a member state. It is important to appreciate further that anyone raising this issue through a proposal to the IMO must understand that this is not only a lashing issue, but also a human element issue.

Lashing issues themselves are complex due to the various jurisdictions that the regulations governing them fall under, including whether it is dockers or crew who should be handling the securing of cargo. Often these safety issues are circumvented by vessel operators by requiring crew to undertake the work before a vessel docks. In this way the vessel’s cargo operations can expedited.

That communication between vessel and port is relatively straight forward, but when it comes to communicating what is in a container, how it is stored when it is offloaded, or delivered to the port for export, the jurisdictions are clear. But the interface between port and vessel can help prevent the kind of tragedies seen in Beirut in August, where a cargo of ammonium nitrate exploded killing around 200 people and destroying a large part of the city and the city’s businesses.

IMO has non-mandatory recommendations on the handling of dangerous goods in port areas and even though these are merely recommendations, but “IMO does have a role to play to improve the implementation by the individual member states and to assist in improving the capacities of individual member states in different areas and the handling of specific dangerous goods,” said Song.

IMO is willing to help and the organisation has room to contribute, but IMO depends on the willingness of the member state to co-operate and to properly implement regulations.

The IMO says it can help advise ports with the safe storage of dangerous cargoes, such as the 2,700 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that exploded in Beirut in August this year.

Parroquín-Ohlson also highlighted the section within the IMO recommendations on handling dangerous goods in port areas where “there is a distinction between keeping or storing dangerous cargoes, and those in transit. Cargo kept temporarily in the port area as part of the transport chain are not considered as being stored. Storage involves the holding of cargo for an indeterminate period not directly involved with the transportation process.  Authorities may wish to regulate the storage of such cargoes through other regulations unconnected with the transportation process,” he said.

The difference is not so much defined by time, said Parroquín-Ohlson, but is determined by whether there is an onward destination for the goods, he pointed out that the tragedies in both Beirut and five years ago in Tianjin, China, the cargo was not in transhipment, but was stored at the port. The existing provisions for stowage and segregation for transport should be observed for storage in port.

IMO added that over the past year there has been an increased effort to improve the contact between vessel and port operators, it is an issue that the secretary general Kitack Lim is close to, having come from the port sector himself, Lim joined IMO from Busan Port.

Lim has been liaising with the ports to develop the contact and that critical interface, and the increase in digitalisation is facilitating that change. A lot of work has already happened in this regard, including a recent webinar on the illegal trafficking of wildlife for instance.

A part of this work is related to clearance of ships and cargo. Electronic data exchange is now mandatory under IMO’s Facilitation Convention and a “single window” is recommended – so that all the stakeholders along the supply chain are seeing the same data, at the same time, transmitted through a single point of contact digitally. There have been suggestions that better communication among relevant authorities could have helped prevent the Beirut explosion.

IMO’s Facilitation Committee is considering proposals to make the single window mandatory.

Source: container-news