Thursday, 18 September 2008 00:00
Shippers also reject cost, effectiveness of 100% scanning of all cargoes
By Vincent Wee
Members of the Global Shippers' Forum (GSF) strongly called for China and India to apply their antitrust laws to liner shipping as Asia will become the last major trade area where they are not strictly supervised when the European Union adopts its anti-competition laws for the industry next month.
'GSF members strongly believe that European reforms repealing the liner block exemption as well as changes brought about in North America would provide comparable benefits for Asian countries, resulting in less influence by conferences and discussion agreements over rates and services,' the group said after its annual meeting.
'Asian governments, while recognising national differences, are encouraged to introduce market-based principles as they apply to liner shipping,' the GSF said.
'As world leaders and influential trading partners throughout Asia, China and India are strongly encouraged to apply their antitrust laws to liner shipping (which) will result in market-based principles that can serve as a model for the region and the world.'
The forum also encouraged the United States to undertake a comprehensive review of its own shipping laws to determine whether an antitrust exemption should continue to exist for liner carriers.
GSF said that 'antitrust immunity as it relates to the ability of liner carriers to benchmark, discuss, set or fix rates, service terms and/or surcharges is not necessary and should be terminated'.
On supply chain security, GSF said that it should be based on a multi-layered approach which recognises realistic threat assessments and where national security regimes especially must be mutually recognised and must be compatible across national borders.
In addition, GSF members firmly rejected the cost and effectiveness of 100 per cent scanning of all cargoes.
The members also agreed that steps should be taken to protect the environment from the effects of freight transport but rejected a punitive charge on transport users to achieve this goal.
'Shippers, carriers and governments need to take into greater account the effect on the environment of the transportation of freight both nationally and internationally (but) they should take sustainable steps to protect the environment without compromising the efficiency of freight transport,' GSF said.
