Shipping firms call for uniform European reporting requirements

The European Community Shipowners’ Associations and World Shipping Council said current rules create an unnecessary workload.

   The European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and World Shipping Council (WSC) are asking the European Commission (EC) to simplify reporting requirements for ships calling at European ports.
   “Current complex, repetitive and duplicative reporting requirements not only result in productivity losses for maritime carriers and their customers but also create unnecessary workload and stress for ship crews,” ECSA and WSC said in a joint press release.
   They said the EC is expected to publish a proposal for a revision of what is called the “Reporting Formalities Directive” in early May.
   “Current complex, repetitive and duplicative reporting requirements not only result in productivity losses for maritime carriers and their customers, but also create unnecessary workload and stress for ship crews,” the two associations said. “A genuine ‘European Single Window’ is required that will enable the same data to be submitted in the same way for the same operations and processes in all EU ports.”
   The ECSA represents the national shipowners’ associations of the EU and Norway, whose members control 40 percent of the global commercial fleet.
   The WSC represents the interests of the international liner shipping industry in public policy and regulatory matters. WSC’s members account for more than 90 percent of global liner shipping capacity.