EUROPEAN SHIPPERS, INDUSTRY GROUPS SIGN QUALITY CHARTER

EUROPEAN SHIPPERS, INDUSTRY GROUPS SIGN QUALITY CHARTER

EUROPEAN SHIPPERS, INDUSTRY GROUPS SIGN QUALITY CHARTER

    Sixteen groups and associations representing European shippers,
European carriers, ports and ship agents have signed a maritime industry charter on
quality.
    The charter lists principles on responsibility for maritime safety of
all those involved in shipping and says that industry participants must take reasonable
care in the use of ships and avoid sub-standard vessels.
    Signatories to the charter also urged public authorities to
"increase their effort to raise quality awareness and harmonize port state
control" and focus on substandard ships.
    The organizations which signed the charter are: the Association of West
Europeam Shipbuilders, the Baltic International Maritime Council, the European Chemical
Shippers Council, the Committee of European
             Shipbuilders
Association, the EC Association for Shipbrokers and Agents, the European Community
Shipowners’ Associations, the European Maritime Pilots Association, the European Shippers
Council, the European Seaports’ Organization, the European Federation of Ports, the
Federation of National Associations of Shipbrokers and Agents, the International
Association of Classification Societies, the International Association of Independent
Tanker Owners, the International Parcel Tankers Association, the International Transport
Workers’ Federation and the European Ship Masters’ Association.