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PRESS RELEASES
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For Immediate Release
October 4, 2006
For Information, Contact
Peter J. Gatti
(703) 524-5011
SHIPPER GROUPS LAUNCH “GLOBAL SHIPPERS’ FORUM”
Arlington, VA -- Shipper organizations from across the globe met last week in Antwerp, Belgium to launch the new Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF). Formerly known as the Tripartite Shippers’ Group, the new name more accurately reflects the group’s composition. The GSF under its former name has been meeting annually since 1994. One of its primary objectives is to support policies that meet changing transport needs while enhancing competition through a marketplace environment. This year’s meeting was hosted by the European Shippers’ Council.
One of the reasons for the new name is that the GSF has grown from three organizations at its inception, to five umbrella organizations accounting today for some three dozen national shipper groups. In conjunction with the formation and announcement of the GSF, the group released a “Statement of Principles” which sets forth the purpose, direction and make up of the organization.
U.S. shippers are represented through The National Industrial Transportation League (League), one of the group’s founding members.
The GSF meeting in Antwerp was timely in that it was held in the same week that the European Competitiveness Council unanimously repealed the liner industry’s antitrust immunity. Additionally the European Commission’s Competition Directorate (ECCD) also released its “Issues Paper.” In this paper, the ECCD largely rejected a carrier proposal to replace Europe’s current liner immunity with a system that would permit information exchanges among carriers. The ECCD said it found aspects of the carriers’ proposals to be anti-competitive and perpetuating the liner shipping conference system. Earlier this year the League expressed serious concerns over the carrier proposal advanced by the European Liner Affairs Association (ELAA) (Notice, July 28).
In reaction to the EC’s decision to repeal Europe’s anti-trust/anti-competitive exemptions, the GSF said it applauds the action to repeal the liner bloc exemption stating it “… will not only provide benefit to stakeholders, but more importantly to consumers everywhere.” Additionally the GSF said it supports the repeal so it “will become a force and model for elsewhere.” As for reaction to the “Issues Paper” the GSF said it intends to prepare a detailed assessment including comments on ELAA’s revised proposals.
Peter J. Gatti, executive vice president for the League said, “the action taken by the shippers at this meeting combined with the news from European authorities presents tremendous opportunities for all stakeholders to recognize and embrace the changes that are coming, particularly in the area of liner shipping. It’s time that parties from all sectors in this industry behave as economic partners where price and service are truly a product of the marketplace.”
Additional areas addressed at the meeting included: freight transportation security; surcharges/ancillaries; enhancing freight transport efficiency in the supply chain; ocean cargo liability; and regulatory wood packing materials.
Details on all of the above issues, as well as the shipper groups represented, may be found in the “Joint Shippers Declaration” which was released immediately following the meeting. A copy may be found at: http://www.nitl.org/GSFDeclaration.pdf. The GSF’s “Statement of Principles” may also be reviewed at: http://www.nitl.org/GSFSOP.pdf.
The National Industrial Transportation League is an association of companies that conduct industrial and/or commercial enterprises throughout the United States and internationally, and that are concerned with the transportation of goods in both domestic and international commerce. The League has approximately 700 separate company members and is one of the oldest and largest association’s in the U.S. representing freight transportation professionals.
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