CSL calls on international shipping organisations to define, defend and promote short sea shipping Tuesday, Sep 24, 2013
MONTREAL, Sept. 20, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - According to a new report commissioned by The CSL Group, the dynamics and challenges of Short Sea Shipping (SSS) industries around the world are fundamentally different from those faced by traditional trans-ocean shipping. The most important difference is that unlike a trans-ocean ship, a SSS vessel competes with other modes of transport, namely road and rail.
Recent regulations passed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and by its Member States that are insensitive to SSS's role as a safer, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient alternative to land-based transport, have resulted in the unintended consequence of promoting a modal shift from marine to road and rail. As indicated in the report presented this week to the IMO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the importance of SSS to global trade and to the efficient movement of a country's goods and services - whether it is within one's borders or as part of a regional import/export infrastructure - is not being fully utilized. Moreover, not only is SSS essential to a country's industrial strategy, it also plays a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and congestion problems. "Despite a global presence counting approximately 16,000 vessels with a combined deadweight tonnage of 77 million tons, SSS is often overlooked by the IMO and governments worldwide as a significant contributor to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of nations," said David Martin, Owner and Director of The CSL Group.
The CSL Group is the world's largest owner and operator of self-unloading
vessels. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada with divisions based in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Singapore and Australia, The CSL Group delivers more than 70 million tonnes of cargo annually for customers in the construction, steel, energy and agri-food sectors.
