Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) Chairman and President Noboru Ueda assumed the role of Chairman of the IACS Council today. The IACS Council is the apex decision making body of IACS, the International Association of Classification Societies. Mr. Ueda was elected to the new position during a meeting of the IACS Council in Hamburg last week. As the new chair society of IACS, for the next year, ClassNK will also chair the IACS General Policy Group (GPG), which is responsible for the deliberation, revision, and adoption of IACS technical standards.
Following his election by the IACS Council, Chairman Ueda offered his thanks to previous chairman Dr. Hermann Klein for his leadership, and then gave a brief policy speech outlining his three main goals for his term. Excerpts of the speech are given below:
1. Provide a greater contribution to the maritime industry
“As the IMO’s Technical Advisor since 1960, IACS has always been at the forefront of change in the maritime industry. As the demand for new safety and environmental regulations continues to grow, now more than ever before, IACS must provide leadership for the maritime industry. Every one of our members is working to address the challenges raised by new regulations and conventions such as the ballast water management convention, the ship recycling convention, and the maritime labour convention. IACS as a whole, however, must take a broader view, and join with the maritime industry to find solutions to the challenges posed by the goal based standards and greenhouse gas reduction.
“As Chairman of IACS, I will work to strengthen the bonds between each of our member societies, and work with the IMO and the entire maritime industry to ensure that new regulations can be established, amended, and implemented as smoothly and effectively as possible.”
2. Reflect the global nature of the maritime industry
“The maritime industry is a global industry, and IACS must balance the needs and interests of the entire spectrum of the industry. Although we all ultimately share the same goals, the immediate interests of shipowners and shipbuilders often differ, and the goals of the maritime industry in one region may at times be at odds with the goals of other regions. As Chairman I will work to ensure that no preference is shown to any sector or region, and that our decisions strike a proper balance between the needs and opinions of the entire global maritime industry.”
3. Transition to a more transparent IACS
“Since issuing the IACS Commitments to the European Council, we have made steady progress in our transition to a more open and transparent organization. With the implementation of our new membership standards and the establishment of the new independent IACS Quality system, I am confident that this new framework will not only allow us to maintain our high standards of quality and technical excellence, but provide a strong foundation for our future growth and development. Nevertheless, this will be a transitional year for IACS, and I will ensure that this transition is a successful one.”
Following his election by the IACS Council, Chairman Ueda offered his thanks to previous chairman Dr. Hermann Klein for his leadership, and then gave a brief policy speech outlining his three main goals for his term. Excerpts of the speech are given below:
1. Provide a greater contribution to the maritime industry
“As the IMO’s Technical Advisor since 1960, IACS has always been at the forefront of change in the maritime industry. As the demand for new safety and environmental regulations continues to grow, now more than ever before, IACS must provide leadership for the maritime industry. Every one of our members is working to address the challenges raised by new regulations and conventions such as the ballast water management convention, the ship recycling convention, and the maritime labour convention. IACS as a whole, however, must take a broader view, and join with the maritime industry to find solutions to the challenges posed by the goal based standards and greenhouse gas reduction.
“As Chairman of IACS, I will work to strengthen the bonds between each of our member societies, and work with the IMO and the entire maritime industry to ensure that new regulations can be established, amended, and implemented as smoothly and effectively as possible.”
2. Reflect the global nature of the maritime industry
“The maritime industry is a global industry, and IACS must balance the needs and interests of the entire spectrum of the industry. Although we all ultimately share the same goals, the immediate interests of shipowners and shipbuilders often differ, and the goals of the maritime industry in one region may at times be at odds with the goals of other regions. As Chairman I will work to ensure that no preference is shown to any sector or region, and that our decisions strike a proper balance between the needs and opinions of the entire global maritime industry.”
3. Transition to a more transparent IACS
“Since issuing the IACS Commitments to the European Council, we have made steady progress in our transition to a more open and transparent organization. With the implementation of our new membership standards and the establishment of the new independent IACS Quality system, I am confident that this new framework will not only allow us to maintain our high standards of quality and technical excellence, but provide a strong foundation for our future growth and development. Nevertheless, this will be a transitional year for IACS, and I will ensure that this transition is a successful one.”