Speaking at the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Esben Poulsson, honorary secretary of the SSA, highlighted three centres of Asian shipping: the “Dragon’s head” of Shanghai becoming ever more important, Hong Kong retaining it importance in North Asia and Singapore’s strengthening influence in Southeast Asia and beyond.
“It is thus important for our association to work ever more closely with other organisations in Asia to ensure the Asian message is heard internationally,” he said. “The need for a unified Asian voice has never been more important.”
With the industry facing a raft of environmental and other issues Poulsson said it was essential for Asian shipowners to be heard. “In the area of shipping regulation it is essential that the views of Asian ship owners are heard loud and clear, especially on the many current issues such as piracy and armed robbery, the Ballast Water Convention, greenhouse gas emissions and so on,” he said.
The relative lack of strength of the Asian voice in world shipping is an ongoing concern for the region’s ever growing industry. Although there is the longstanding Asian Shipowners Forum (ASF) it stresses consensus among its member associations and rarely exerts a strong international influence, at least in public.
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