Visiting International Chamber of Shipping secretary general, Guy Platten confirmed that a China Liaison office will be launched in Hong Kong in November to coincide with this year’s Hong Kong Maritime Week. A ceremony will be held at the annual Hong Kong Shipowners Association Cocktail Reception on 21 November. Mr Platten announced the decision at the HKSA Summer fiesta yesterday (3 June).
Speaking to Hong Kong Maritime Hub in London in June Mr Platten said:
“The creation of the ICS China Liaison Office is part of our commitment to have a presence in Asia. We are very keen to foster good relations with the Chinese authorities and the Chinese Shipowners Association.
“We have always had good relations with the Chinese delegation at IMO and that is very positive. Now, we want to take it to the next level. It is no different to any other super power. We want to understand the rationale of what China is doing and maybe get advance warning of any regulation that might affect shipping.
“We have not rushed into this decision and the Hong Kong Maritime Week in November will be a good time to make the announcement,” he says.
“We represent over 80% of the tonnage of national associations around the world. China is a major maritime superpower now. If we can encourage the Chinese Shipowners Association, it will strengthen ICS.”
The ICS representative will be based in the offices of the HKSA. And preliminary plans include the establishment of the ICS Academy with the intention of creating short education courses for the shipping community. The project is in its early stage with an emphasis on how such short courses will be delivered.
The one thing that has struck me about ICS is the expertise we have on regulatory matters,” said Mr Patten.
“If we can utilise some of that knowledge and skill and perhaps construct courses that will be of service to the industry, that is the sort of thing I have in mind. Clearly, a big part of the industry is in Asia so it would be logical to work with partners in the region in working out how we can deliver there.
“This year is the year for planning, 2020 will be the year to roll it out,” he adds.
Away from the anticipated celebrations in Hong Kong the ICS remains deeply concerned about near-and long-term regulatory issues.
“There are still real concerns about the upcoming 0.5% sulphur cap,” he says. “There are real concerns about availability and safety. And a genuine concern about how smoothly the switch over will be. Are there going to be supplies there? When are we going to get the compliant fuels to test? I think there is a whole aura of uncertainty and concern. We really need member states, the oil majors and the supply industry to step up to the plate. It is a new era in shipping. Let’s hope it goes smoothly and we get there. I think we are right to be concerned and need to keep the pressure on.”
Regarding the short-term measures on the greenhouse gas reductions, The ICS is promoting a ship’s energy efficiency management plan. Audited under the ISM Code. Energy efficiency measures will be estimated on a ship by ship basis. “We think that is a workable solution, says Mr Platten.
Then there are the longer term 2050 measures.
“My concern is not just over potential zero carbon fuels. Mr Patten provides the example of ammonia as a much-vaunted alternative fuel.
“The issue to me is that at the moment as an industry we burn 300m tons of fuel a year. But the calorific value of ammonia is one fifth of oil. That would mean 1.5bn tons of ammonia. How are we going to get 1.5bn ammonia produced in a sustainable fashion? At the moment it can be produced from oil but that seems to be self-defeating. We cannot approach such projects in isolation. [As with other potential solutions] We will need member states and others to also look carefully into how we are going to dismantle a supply chain that has been in existence for 100 years or more. When would it be replaced given the time frame we are looking at?”
Source：
hongkongmaritimehub
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