Class societies called on to take greater role in formulating

Many among the over 450 delegates representing 251 companies and organisations at the Greener Shipping Summit in Athens, last week, were by and large in agreement that shipping's logistic chain has to be looked at in general and that there is great need for the shipping industry to improve its lobbying.

Delegate Yanna Pavlopoulou, managing partner of Common Lawgic a sustainability research institute, said "The industry needs better lobbying in the EU and the UN, not only at IMO". She said shipping generally should have the right to call on class societies as well as organisations like the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS) in this lobbying effort beyond IMO”.

The issue was raised during a panel discussion on NOx, SOx CO2 and PM which featured speakers from five classification societies. Shipowner panelist, Stavros Hatzigrigoris, md of Maran Gas Maritime, and chairman of Greece's Marine Technical Managers Association (Martecma), commented that "class should go beyond saying what shipping should do and should work hand-in-hand with us to save the planet".

"Classification societies should fight with us," he declared.

John Kokarakis, technology and business development director HBSA zone, Bureau Veritas, and chairman of Sname Greek Branch, pointed out classification societies "do not regulate, but do try to make the regulations work".

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Class societies called on to take greater role in formulating regulation