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Freight transport must be considered as a means to an end rather than an end in itself.
The Global Shippers Forum has called for a dialogue between the shipping industry and government to find sustainable solutions to the environmental challenges without stifling economic growth.
GSF general secretary James Hookham said: “GSF is calling for an open dialogue between the shipping industry and the government to ensure policy measures remain practical and supportive of growth and jobs, while addressing the need to radically decarbonise transport; these issues cannot be addressed by policy makers in isolation. Freight transport must be considered as a means to an end rather than an end in itself; this perspective should be at the centre of a dialogue between industry and policy makers.”
Hookham was responding to the launch of the International Transport Forum’s Transport Outlook 2019 which focuses heavily on the need to decarbonise transport.
“This challenge is particularly immense for maritime transport, which, as the dominant mode of transport for inter-continental trade, also carries the largest volume of goods globally. The report lists various solutions, most notably slow steaming, but in the view of GSF, this would have very negative consequences for the buyers of maritime transport: the shippers. It would increase crossing times even further; therefore, it is not a sustainable solution,” he said.
“According to GSF, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) should retain responsibility for this issue, but more progress is needed on appropriate Market-Based Measures (MBM); the failure to reach a decision at the IMO MEPC 74 was disappointing for shippers. It is crucial to select a measure that will incentivise technical and operational measures to reduce CO2 and not simply pass on additional costs to shippers or significantly increase transit times. The Ship Efficiency Credit Trading (SECT) proposed by the United States comes closest to meeting the principles for a good MBM set out by GSF.” Read more
Source: LOGISTICS MANAGER
