Asian shipowners have taken a major step in strengthening the global voice of Asian shipping with the setting up of a permanent secretariat to be located in Singapore. This is another feather in Singapore's maritime cap.
The official announcement yesterday by the influential Asian Shipowners' Forum (ASF) that Singapore would host the permanent home of the 15-year-old organisation, confirmed a BT report last October that Singapore was a shoo-in for the secretariat's home.
ASF members, which include shipowners' associations from Australia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Asean - including the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) - unanimously agreed to set up the permanent office here while meeting in South Korea this week.
'We hope that, through this arrangement, the Asian owners will be able to engage in more consistent and regular dialogue with all the other players in the international maritime scene for the benefit of the entire global maritime community,' said International Maritime Organisation (IMO) secretary-general Efthimios Mitropoulos.
Although Asia is a major force in global shipping - with 35 per cent of the world's fleet by tonnage, 45 per cent of its manpower, the majority of the world's shipyards and nine of the top 10 busiest ports - its voice is seen to be disproportionately small.
'The voice of the Asian shipping community is not yet commensurate with its position in world shipping,' said NYK Line senior managing director Takao Manji recently.
'If Asia's voice is to be taken seriously, owners, operators and stakeholders have to realise they have to be proactive. We cannot take a back seat and expect to be recognised,' he warned.
Since its 1992 start, the ASF's chairmanship has rotated among its members on an annual basis without a permanent office or secretary-general.
'With today's landmark decision, the permanent secretariat will provide continuity and the channel for an Asian shipowners' voice,' said the ASF in a statement released by the SSA.
The next step is to appoint the first ASF secretary-general, who will then be tasked with setting up the secretariat office and hiring staff within the next six months.
'I am very pleased for the Asean region that such a prestigious body as ASF has selected Singapore for its home,' said SSA president SS Teo who thanked the Federation of Asean Shipowners' Associations for its support.
'We have believed for a long time that the ASF needed a permanent office to reflect the growing influence of the shipping industry in our region,' Mr Teo added, calling for the ASF members to continue working together to support the permanent secretariat as it develops.
'The establishment of the permanent secretariat is not only beneficial to Asian shipping, but also to the global maritime community. If Asia can play a more proactive and constructive role in the international shipping scene, then this will help with the growth of the global shipping industry and world trade,' said Mr Teo.
This view was echoed by the secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping and International Shipping Federation who said it would give extra focus to the voice of Asian national shipowners' associations, 'in line with their status as representatives of major shipping nations and Singapore, with its established maritime cluster, will provide an excellent location for the secretariat'.
Singapore's Minister for Transport Raymond Lim welcomed the move, saying it was a vote of confidence for Singapore as a maritime centre for Asia.
'With its permanent secretariat joining our vibrant maritime cluster at the crossroads of Asia, the ASF will be even better positioned to act as a voice for Asian shipping,' he said.
The official announcement yesterday by the influential Asian Shipowners' Forum (ASF) that Singapore would host the permanent home of the 15-year-old organisation, confirmed a BT report last October that Singapore was a shoo-in for the secretariat's home.
ASF members, which include shipowners' associations from Australia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Asean - including the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) - unanimously agreed to set up the permanent office here while meeting in South Korea this week.
'We hope that, through this arrangement, the Asian owners will be able to engage in more consistent and regular dialogue with all the other players in the international maritime scene for the benefit of the entire global maritime community,' said International Maritime Organisation (IMO) secretary-general Efthimios Mitropoulos.
Although Asia is a major force in global shipping - with 35 per cent of the world's fleet by tonnage, 45 per cent of its manpower, the majority of the world's shipyards and nine of the top 10 busiest ports - its voice is seen to be disproportionately small.
'The voice of the Asian shipping community is not yet commensurate with its position in world shipping,' said NYK Line senior managing director Takao Manji recently.
'If Asia's voice is to be taken seriously, owners, operators and stakeholders have to realise they have to be proactive. We cannot take a back seat and expect to be recognised,' he warned.
Since its 1992 start, the ASF's chairmanship has rotated among its members on an annual basis without a permanent office or secretary-general.
'With today's landmark decision, the permanent secretariat will provide continuity and the channel for an Asian shipowners' voice,' said the ASF in a statement released by the SSA.
The next step is to appoint the first ASF secretary-general, who will then be tasked with setting up the secretariat office and hiring staff within the next six months.
'I am very pleased for the Asean region that such a prestigious body as ASF has selected Singapore for its home,' said SSA president SS Teo who thanked the Federation of Asean Shipowners' Associations for its support.
'We have believed for a long time that the ASF needed a permanent office to reflect the growing influence of the shipping industry in our region,' Mr Teo added, calling for the ASF members to continue working together to support the permanent secretariat as it develops.
'The establishment of the permanent secretariat is not only beneficial to Asian shipping, but also to the global maritime community. If Asia can play a more proactive and constructive role in the international shipping scene, then this will help with the growth of the global shipping industry and world trade,' said Mr Teo.
This view was echoed by the secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping and International Shipping Federation who said it would give extra focus to the voice of Asian national shipowners' associations, 'in line with their status as representatives of major shipping nations and Singapore, with its established maritime cluster, will provide an excellent location for the secretariat'.
Singapore's Minister for Transport Raymond Lim welcomed the move, saying it was a vote of confidence for Singapore as a maritime centre for Asia.
'With its permanent secretariat joining our vibrant maritime cluster at the crossroads of Asia, the ASF will be even better positioned to act as a voice for Asian shipping,' he said.