IAPH Insider- November 25, 2021


This edition of IAPH Insider covers:

 

 

Registration for #IAPH2022 #ClosetheGaps is open

The IAPH 2022 World Ports Conference has a new agenda-setting format! The ongoing supply chain crunch has exposed structural weaknesses in various components of maritime supply chains, including ports. #IAPH2022 will bring together leading port stakeholders to #ClosetheGaps in global seaport competitiveness, setting an agenda to raise the performance of the world’s major port regions. Register today for #IAPH2022 to participate in pre-conference regional workshops in February and March and the IAPH 2022 World Ports Conference in Vancouver, 16-18 May. Don’t miss this opportunity to play a role in setting the global port agenda. The online regional workshops will be held in collaboration with the World Bank, addressing specific factors that cause gaps in connectivity, efficiency, and the overall costs of shipping cargo. These workshops also will cover the regulatory environment in which ports operate, their scope of digitalisation, and their environmental performance. You’ll learn more about the workshops in the below video, in which IAPH Managing Director Patrick Verhoeven explains why you should attend. Ultimately, #IAPH2022 aims to culminate in a declaration of priorities for ports based on the outcome of key conference discussions and workshops. Register before 2 January 2022 for the lowest available rates. IAPH members enjoy special a reduction and we therefore invite you to contact the conference help desk to validate your membership and receive your discount code.

 

 

 

UNCTAD report confirms need to #ClosetheGaps

The recovery of the global economy is threatened by high freight rates, which are likely to continue in the coming months, according to UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2021, which was published on 18 November. UNCTAD’s analysis shows that the current surge in container freight rates, if sustained, could increase global import price levels by 11% and consumer price levels by 1.5% between now and 2023. The impact of the high freight charges will be greater in small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs). In addition, concerns abound that the sustained higher shipping costs will not only weigh on exports and imports but could also undermine a recovery in global manufacturing. UNCTAD emphasises that transport costs are also influenced by structural factors, including port infrastructure quality, the trade facilitation environment and shipping connectivity, and there is potential for significant improvements. UNCTAD urges countries to consider a portfolio of measures that span hard and soft infrastructure and services. Improving the quality of port infrastructure would reduce world average maritime transport costs by 4.1%, while costs would be reduced by 3.7% by better trade facilitation measures and by 4.4% by improved liner shipping connectivity. It calls on governments to monitor markets to ensure a fair, transparent and competitive commercial environment and recommends more data sharing and stronger collaboration between stakeholders in the maritime supply chain. The report urges continued monitoring and analysis of trends to find ways of cutting costs, enhancing efficiency and smoothing delivery of maritime trade. It also emphasises the need for smaller economies to diversify by graduating to higher-value-added products to be more resilient to external shocks. In the medium to longer term, the maritime supply capacity will also be affected by the transition of the industry towards zero-carbon shipping. To ensure that the necessary investment in ships, ports and the provision of new fuels is not delayed, it will be important for investors to count on a predictable global regulatory framework. The UNCTAD Maritime Review 2021 and related materials are available via this link.

 

 

Our P&H poll: how resilient do you think your port is?

The UNCTAD Maritime Review 2021 emphasises that the current supply chain crunch is partly caused by structural factors, including port infrastructure quality. With infrastructure updates in ports taking years to come online, we want to talk about the resilience and adaptability of the maritime industry during unexpected events such as a pandemic or other disruptive crises. For the January-February edition of the IAPH membership magazine Ports & Harbors, we would like to know how prepared do you think your country’s port system is to handle these events? Share your answer through this link.

 

 

 

 

Six weeks to submit your projects for the IAPH Awards

We encourage all IAPH member ports to submit their entries for the fourth edition of the IAPH World Ports Sustainability Awards. As in the previous edition, the 2022 winners and runners-up will be selected by an expert, fully-independent jury and by the voting public, who cast over 10,000 votes in 2021 across all categories that eventually counted towards 30% of the final results to determine the winners. This year IAPH will be recognising outstanding projects in six fully reviewed categories: (1) climate and energy; (2) infrastructure; (3) digitalisation; (4) community building; (5) environmental care; and (6) health, safety and security. Adjustments to the themes were made to reflect the type of projects we received in record numbers for the 2021 Awards edition and the increasing trend of the many ports now focusing on new areas of interest such as digitalisation and sustainable physical infrastructure developments to improve resilience. IAPH regular port members and associate members acting on behalf of IAPH member port(s) as client, partner or collaborator can enter a project, submitting a simple online form. Once accepted, the project will automatically qualify as a potential award candidate. The deadline for project submissions is Friday 31 December 2021. A short ‘how to’ video by our IAPH Technical Director Antonis Michail on how to submit a project can be found below. You can contact Antonis for more information by emailing him on [email protected]. The winners will be announced during the gala dinner of the 2022 World Ports Conference.

 

 

 

IAPH and WCO to produce customs-port guidelines

Over 200 people participated in the online workshop on collaboration between customs and port authorities that was organised by IAPH and the World Customs Organization last Tuesday. The webinar compared best practices from India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Netherlands, United States and United Arab Emirates, covering institutional and legal frameworks, the use of digital systems and potential other areas of cooperation to enhance both the facilitation and security of maritime supply chains. The best practices were introduced by speakers from port and customs authorities of each country, some in the form of a joint presentation. The workshop marks the reinvigoration of our partnership with the World Customs Organization, the roots of which go back to 1987, the year in which we signed our initial memorandum of understanding. The workshop is a steppingstone for a process whereby IAPH and WCO will structurally help customs and port authorities that want to bring their mutual collaboration to the next level. At the recent WCO Permanent Technical Committee meeting, the chairman of IAPH’s Data Collaboration Committee, Pascal Ollivier, presented a proposal to produce a set of joint IAPH-WCO guidelines on customs and port authorities’ collaboration, which received positive feedback. In follow-up to the workshop, a working group of customs and port authority experts will be convened to start the drafting process on those guidelines. 

 

 

IMO-Singapore single window project starts in Angola

The International Maritime Organization and Singapore have selected the Port of Lobito in Angola for a pilot project to establish an efficient digitalised system for electronic exchange of information in ports for ship clearance. The Single Window for Facilitation of Trade (SWiFT) project was launched in March this year with a call for expressions of interest to participate. Following overwhelming response received from applicants, the project will begin its pilot phase with the Port of Lobito, before being scaled up to benefit more countries in the next phase. The SWiFT project will develop a system for the pilot port to allow electronic submission, through one single portal, of all information required by various government agencies when a ship calls at a port, a concept known as the Maritime Single Window (MSW) system.  Regulations in IMO’s Facilitation (FAL) Convention require electronic exchange of data, to ensure the efficient clearance of ships. The single window concept is recommended, to avoid duplication of effort. The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the value of digitalisation, as expressed in the call to action that IAPH issued together with other maritime stakeholder organisations in June 2020. Under the SWiFT pilot project, the selected country will be advised on the necessary legal, policy and institutional requirements for the MSW system. The port will then be provided with functional MSW software, hardware and/or IT services, configured to the country’s needs. Training will also be provided, as well as advice on policy reforms required to successfully implement an MSW.  The pilot will be supported by Singapore via in-kind contributions and by IMO via the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP).  Following the initial pilot and subject to funding availability, the aim is to replicate the pilot project in other IMO Member States in need of similar technical assistance.

 

 

IAPH supports ambitious outcome of IMO MEPC 77

The 77th meeting of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) takes place in online format this week. The meeting follows the COP 26 climate summit held earlier this month in Glasgow, Scotland. The summit has increased pressure on IMO member states to raise the level of ambition expressed in the initial IMO GHG strategy that was adopted in 2018. In his remarks at the opening of MEPC 77, IMO secretary-general Kitack Lim encouraged governments to consider further action and chart the way forward for the decarbonisation of international shipping. IAPH participates in the discussions with a delegation of members, led by technical director Antonis Michail. Antonis presented two statements on behalf of IAPH (photo), supporting proposals to set a target for zero emission shipping by 2050 and review the IMO initial strategy accordingly. He also reiterated the view that the implementation of a global market-based measure (MBM) by 2025 at the latest is essential for the commercially viable and timely introduction of low- and zero-carbon fuels. Antonis also referred to the submission IAPH made for MEPC 77, calling for a significant share of MBM-generated revenue to be allocated to land-side infrastructure, including port-related investments, in developing countries in particular, in order to facilitate the global deployment and use of low- and zero-carbon fuels and to contribute in parallel to an equitable energy transition of shipping. MEPC 77 concludes this Friday. Members of the IAPH Climate and Energy Committee will be receiving an overview with the main results of the meeting, to be followed by a more in-depth report later.

 

 

 

New report on sources and impact of marine litter

At MEPC 77, member states are also initialising discussions on a draft strategy to address marine plastic litter from ships. The sources and impact of sea-based marine litter form the focus of a new report by the Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), an advisory body to the United Nations sponsored by ten UN entities including IMO. The report, which can be downloaded here, outlines the various sources of  marine litter and the impact and assesses the current availability of data and identifies knowledge gaps for the main categories of sea-based sources of marine plastic litter. The working group that produced the report was established by GESAMP, on the request of IMO, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The report stresses the urgent need to reduce marine litter. It outlines several ongoing initiatives and suggested steps to combat this issue, providing readers with practical information. It also highlights knowledge gaps and suggested areas for future academic and scientific research, including on the impact of COVID-19 on ocean industries and livelihoods that result in marine litter. Although very little quantification of sea-based sources of marine litter exists, the report looks at five main categories. These are fishing, aquaculture, shipping and boating, dumping of waste and other matter at sea and other ocean uses. The report concludes that sea-based activities do contribute to the global burden of marine litter, and that this does warrant concern. However, it is not possible to estimate the total contribute of sea-based sources and a concerted effort to update global estimates is needed to fill these knowledge gaps, together with renewed efforts to reduce inputs of marine litter from all sources.

 

 

CLIA report addresses alternative fuels for cruise

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) released last week its Global Cruise Industry Environmental Technologies and Practices Inventory together with an associated Environmental Report produced by Oxford Economics. The report, which demonstrates the industry’s commitment to responsible tourism practices and continued progress on the development and implementation of new environmental technologies, is published as CLIA ocean-going members commit to pursue net carbon neutral cruising by 2050. For the first time, the Oxford Economics Environmental Report also addresses the challenge posed by the need for new, alternative fuels and the steps the industry is taking to support progress. Specifically, in addition to LNG, over three-quarters of the global cruise fleet by passenger capacity is now equipped to use alternative fuels. Alternative fuel sources to heavy fuel oils being developed include biodiesel, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, and electric batteries. The report notes that there remain engineering, supply, and regulatory hurdles before the large-scale adoption of such fuels can take place, but the cruise industry’s growing investment in new ships is facilitating the research and development of these fuels. The report notes that CLIA ocean-going cruise lines continue to make substantial progress across a range of areas, including shore-side power capability, LNG fuel, exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) and advanced wastewater treatment systems. CLIA member cruise lines have committed to a 40% reduction in the rate of carbon emissions across the global fleet by 2030, compared to 2008, consistent with the International Maritime Organization’s carbon intensity reduction level of ambition. You can download the report from the CLIA website.

 

 

New leadership IAPH Risk and Resilience Committee

To replace the vacancy left by Tessa Major (former Port of Açu), the Risk and Resilience Committee nominated at its last meeting Ann Yuan Yue (Port of Guangzhou) and Niels Vanlaer (Port of Antwerp) respective as its chair and vice-chair. The IAPH Board has now formally approved these appointments.  We warmly congratulate Ann and Niels with their new mandates and wish them a successful term of office. The next meeting of the Risk and Resilience Committee is scheduled for 14 December, from 7 to 9 AM CET.

 

 

 

Member Port News

In this edition’s round up of member port news, you will find stories from the following IAPH members: 

  • Europe and Africa region:  Baku International Sea Trade Port, Port Authority of Douala, Cyprus Ports Authority, Hamburg Port Authority, Genoa Port Authority, Port Autonome de Dakar, Administração dos Portos de Sines e do Algarve, Autoridad Portuaria de la Bahìa de Algeciras, Oslo Port Authority, Port of Helsinki, Antwerp Port Authority, Autoridad Portuaria de Bilbao, Autoridad Portuaria de Huelva, Autoridad Portuaria de Santa Cruz de Tenerife, bremenports, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, HAROPA (Harbours of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris), Port of Rotterdam Authority, Freeport of Riga Authority, Port Autonome de San Pedro, Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, Ports of Cabo Verde, Israel Ports Development and Assets Company, North Sea Port, Ports of Cabo Verde, Port of Bergen, National Ports Agency/ Morocco,  Port of Gdansk Authority
  • America Region: Georgia Ports Authority, Port of San Diego, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Seattle, Autoridad Marítima de Panamá, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority  
  • Asia and Oceania Region: Gladstone Ports Corporation, Sabah Ports, DP World, Maldives Ports, Marine and Water Bureau, Government of Macau, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Abu Dhabi Ports, Guangzhou Port Authority, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, PT Pelabuhan Indonesia, Incheon Port Authority, Ports and Maritime Organization Iran,  Lyttelton Port Company, Taiwan International Ports Corporation, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Korea, Sri Lanka Ports Authority

 

 

World Maritime News

These maritime news stories made the headlines over the past two weeks: 

  • Outlook for freight rate, supply chain crisis, and US demand for goods
  • Long-dwell container fee and detention/demurrage fee
  • Biden endorses shipping reform
  • Ports need reliable schedules to ease terminal congestion
  • Transpacific trade is growing, but exports are hit by ‘market distortion
  • Benefits of terminal automation questioned
  • San Pedro Bay ports start offshore queueing system to clear cargo

 

 

Calendar of Events

IAPH events and events where IAPH is represented

Back
Translate