Page 5 - INTERCARGO - Annual Review 2019/2020

Message from the

Chairman

What a year 2020 has been so far! dates of their contracts, exhibiting extraordi-
nary discipline and professionalism.
January ushered in the widespread, but not
worldwide, availability of Low Sulphur Fuel Oil INTERCARGO members have been at the fore-
for ships’ bunkers. INTERCARGO joined with front of the efforts to return our seafarers home
other international shipping organisations in to their families and replace them with qualified,
assisting our industry to make this challenging healthy replacement crew. Our members have
transition successfully, focusing on the issues assured us that these efforts will not cease.
of safety, quality and availability as primary
Despite the unprecedented challenges facing
concerns for operators in the dry bulk sector.
shipping in 2020, bulk carrier owners continue
To support this transition, INTERCARGO to face a variety of environmental challenges
worked alongside ICS, INTERTANKO and BIM- and rapid technological developments. They
CO to develop and implement a detailed sur- must deal with these and yet continue to serve
vey aimed at evaluating the introduction of the the needs of world seaborne trade.
new fuels. Despite the survey being overshad-
There is no doubt that dry bulk shipping should
owed by worldwide events, the results indicat-
be proud of the fact that it has been provid-
ed that quality and safety problems will con-
ing efficient and environmentally sustainable
tinue to be a challenge for the global shipping
services, which are essential in meeting the
industry. It is planned to carry out a follow-up
world’s transportation requirements for basic
on this research in the next few months.
goods: grains, coal, iron ore, bauxite and oth-
Greater challenges were yet to come with the er bulk cargoes. These commodities are the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which building blocks of the world’s economies.
rocked the nations of the world and led to deep,
Dry bulk shipping is the largest sector of inter-
soul-searching questions being posed to gov-
national shipping in both the number of ships
ernments, economies and shipping itself.
and deadweight. Many studies have confirmed
The resultant prohibition of sign-on and sign-off that it is the most efficient and greenhouse gas
of our most important asset, our seafarers, has (GHG) friendly transport mode.
become the primary obstacle for a quality bulk
The ongoing INTERCARGO work programme,
carrier ship owner or operator to overcome.
described in this review, has been shaped by
Despite international efforts through the In- our members, and aims to both support and
ternational Maritime Organization (IMO), dia- lead the sector into the future, prepared to face
logue with the International Transport Work- its challenges.
ers Federation (ITF) and even the International
INTERCARGO represents the interests of its
Air Transport Association (IATA), it is estimat-
members with close to 2,400 registered ships
ed that as many as 400,000 seafarers, who are
out of a global dry bulk fleet close to 12,000
truly key workers in world trade, were trapped
ships. 25% of the global dry bulk fleet basis
on board their vessels as of September 2020.
deadweight is entered with INTERCARGO.
Yet the best intentions of owners and opera-
Our keen and responsive INTERCARGO Sec-
tors have met huge resistance from nations’
retariat is there to serve our present and future
health and immigration authorities, airlines
members. If not already a member, we really
and even some governments themselves,
look forward to welcoming you to the benefits
and seafarers have been forced to remain
of our Association.
on board for months beyond the termination
Dimitrios J. Fafalios
Chairman
September 2020

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