ESC opts out of Global Shippers Forum as it seeks NGO status

THE European Shippers' Council has decided not to join the reconstituted Global Shippers Forum (GSF), after it announced earlier that it is taking measures to become a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that could represent shippers at organisations such as the United Nation's International Maritime Organisation.


Nicolette van der Jagt, secretary general of the European Shippers' Council, said the decision was not based on any policy disagreement with other shipper groups, but had a different view of the GSF, reports the American Shipper.


Robert Ballantyne, president of the Canadian Industrial Transportation Association and chairman of the newly incorporated global body, said: "The European Shippers Council felt the Global Shippers Forum should continue as just an unincorporated 'talk shop' to meet once a year and talk about things, where everybody else felt that if the GSF was really going to be helpful to the shipper community on a global basis, then it needed to have a bit more structure and be recognised as an NGO.


"We had a lot of discussions to try and get them to change their mind," he was quoted as saying.


According to Mr Ballantyne, the UK's Freight Transport Association will be a member of the GSF, and "there is hope that either the full European Shippers Council or at least some of the national associations within the ESC will decide it would be helpful to belong to a global body and that they will come back."


"My organisation was actually very concerned by the decision to opt out of the GSF, and we have been very sorry to have to take it jointly with all national European councils," Philippe Bonnevie, national secretary of the French Shippers Council/AUTF, added.


The report also noted that GSF has been invited to be a member of Global Air Cargo Advisory Group by the International Air Transport Association, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, and The International Air Cargo Association to represent shippers on issues having to do with air freight security.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)