The European Liner Affairs Association has announced that its new chairman will be Gianluigi Aponte, the president of Mediterranean Shipping Company. Aponte replaces CMA CGM’s Jaques Saade as the association faces what it called “a critical twelve-month period in the process of industry deregulation within the EU”.
Aponte said: “It is my fervent hope that the European Commission in the form of its Directorate General of Competition (DG Comp) recognizes the vital position that the liner shipping industry holds within the global economy. Moreover it is crucial that, during the coming year DG Comp formulates Guidelines for the industry post the abolition of Regulation 4056/86 (and with it liner conferences in Europe), that will create an environment within which ship owners are enable to continue investing sufficiently for the future.”
The ELAA currently estimates that its members have over US$60bn invested in vessel capacity designed to service the massive growth in world trade forecast to take place over the next four to five years.
Chris Bourne, executive director of the ELAA, welcomed the new appointment and drew attention to the achievements of Jacques Saade as he leaves the position. “Mr Saade’s foremost success in guiding the liner industry over the past year has been the great strides made in improving the relationship between the carrier lines and their customers, European shippers,” said Bourne. “The confrontational atmosphere that has characterised relations over past years has been changed to one of constructive discussion. This has been Mr Saade’s lasting contribution to the development of the industry.”