The role of maritime transport is more important than ever in supporting the resilience of national economies during the current crisis. Below current issues paint a picture of the status quo and how we at ICS are supporting our members and our seafarers, who have been heavily affected by the pandemic, COVID-19 related restrictions leaving 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.
We have also included efforts to decarbonise shipping, including the ongoing negotiations at the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO), the radical industry proposal for a USD 5 billion fund to accelerate the R&D of zero-carbon technologies and many more.
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The vast majority of ships’ support level ratings are recruited from developing nations, and the shipping industry is probably unique in that, under the auspices of the International Labour Organization (ILO), it has a recommended global minimum wage for seafarers.
A significant part of ICS resources is dedicated to representing the global industry on a range of complex technical issues covered by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of IMO’s 174 Member States, and its numerous technical Sub Committees and Correspondence Groups.
IMO is a UN Specialized Agency and its authority as shipping’s global regulator is ultimately derived from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which provides the fundamental legal framework for the use and protection of the world’s oceans.
Ships often operate in difficult sea conditions which present a high degree of physical risk and despite tremendous improvements to the industry’s safety performance, it has not, yet been possible to eradicate, maritime casualties completely.
In 2019, a new edition of the ICS Guidelines for Owners and Masters on Prevention of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse on board ships was published. It has already sold over 12,000 copies, demonstrating how seriously this matter is taken by shipping companies.
In November 2019, ICS formally opened its new ICS (China) Liaison Office, in Hong Kong SAR
Whilst the attention of the world has been diverted by COVID-19, piracy and armed attacks against ships’ crews remain a serious problem, requiring a concerted response by the international community at the highest level
Despite the lack of media attention due to COVID-19, the migrant rescue at sea crisis in the Mediterranean is far from over, with tens of thousands of migrants still attempting to make the dangerous sea crossing from Africa to Europe in overcrowded and unseaworthy craft.
Invasive marine organisms carried in ships’ ballast water can wreak havoc on local ecosystems. New mandatory systems to manage the disposal of this water will drastically cut the risk
The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought unprecedented disruption to the shipping industry, and requires a collective, solution-driven approach