Shippers hit out at Asian owners

SINGAPORE 24 September – The Global Shippers’ Forum that met in Singapore last week has called upon Asian governments to review domestic laws and bring in regulatory changes that would embrace principles of free trade. “In recent years, most Asian countries have adopted a spectator role,” the GSF has stated. It commended the EU for its abolition of liner companies' block exemption, which takes effect next October. At the same time, shippers have hit out at the Asian Shipowners’ Forum for voicing concern over this development. “The ASF policy statement demonstrates a clear intent to perpetuate the current restrictive regulatory structure,” GSF has observed. Shippers have long been campaigning for abolition of what they term liner “cartels” and of Terminal Handling Charges, which they say should be merged with freight rates. Session chairman John Lu, who heads both the Asian and Singapore shippers’ associations, concedes that it is not easy for Asian governments, which differ widely in political systems and economic status, to move swiftly on regulatory changes. “But we are seeing signs of a shift in the mindset,” Lu told Fairplay.