ELAA to be liner trade association

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

30 Oct 2007

THE European Liner Affairs Association (ELAA) Executive Director, Chris Bourne, announced that the body is to become the new liner industry association operating under Brussels' anticartel guidelines when the conference system is outlawed in Europe in October next year.Speaking on Friday at the European Shippers Council's (ESC) Shipper's Forum in Lisbon, Chris Bourne revealed that the ELAA member lines recently extended the ELAA's remit and it is set to become the new Trade Association called for in the proposal and given the green light by the Draft Guidelines. The ELAA will according to Mr Bourne become a forum for discussion that has not existed before and give representation to the lines in cooperating with the EC and shipper bodies alike.Mr Bourne said, ''Our members are united in their goal to attain a regulatory regime that is applicable to our modern industry and within which sensible decisions on future investment can be made. Our industry needs such a harmonious environment to encourage consultation between the lines and their customers. As our trade continues to grow let us hope that our industry is entering a golden age of understanding.''Meanwhile the head of Conference Administration Services Rod Riseborough confirmed to Anderimar Shipping News that the existing conference secretariats will have no role, and specifically will not be contracted to collect data, after the deadline and will simply cease to exist.Mr Bourne emphasised his Member’s desire to carry out their business as professionally and as efficiently as possible, providing their customers with a reliable and cost-effective service and acting, as always within the law.''The lines' relationships with individual shipper customers have, on the whole been good and business-like. It is now time for that harmony to be translated into on-going accord between the representative bodies of both lines and shippers as well as the EC's Directorate General of Competition (DG Comp),'' said Mr Bourne. ''We need a settled regulatory regime so that lines and their customers can tackle the future challenges that face us in areas such as documentation, congestion, care for the environment and security.''