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If EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc has her way, the container sector's consortia block exemption regulation should be extended, she says in an interview with ShippingWatch. The regulation gives liner companies certain competitive edges, and it is currently being reviewed.
China has several projects in the works aimed at helping the country's shipbuilding and shipping sector. "I don't think that in the shipowners community there is a full understanding of the impact of the Chinese policy yet," says Sea Europe's Secretary General in an interview with ShippingWatch.
It is not just a question of whether the container sector's unique Block Exemption Regulation should be dissolved or extended. The EU Commission now floats the notion that the exemption could be adjusted, says EU Commission director general for competition according to media.
Most of the consortia cooperation between liner companies exceed the threshold they must remain below to benefit from the EU's consortia block exemption, concludes a new report by the International Transport Forum, a body under OECD. This is noteworthy for three reasons, says ITF.
Anil Sharma, CEO of the world's largest cash buyer, GMS, is disappointed by the EU's decision to reject two yards in India, Alang. He projects that the scrap value of European ships will drop by 60 to 80 percent if they are to scrapped according to EU rules.
European shipping companies have a special responsibility to improve conditions for the environment and workers at the much-maligned beaching yards in South Asia, says the EU's maritime affairs commissioner, Karmenu Vella.
The fronts between container carriers and shippers are not necessarily that fiercely drawn when it comes to the carriers' unique competitive edge, says Sea-Intelligence. Even the most ardent opponents of the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation do not want to get rid of alliances altogether, notes the firm.
Supporters and critics have submitted their arguments for either maintaining or discontinuing the liner shipping company's unique competitive edge, the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation. Read on to learn who says what.
Information about ships' emission of greenhouse gases should be published, maintains the EU Commission after revising the so-called MRV system. However, the commission did budge on one point.
The European Commission and European shipyards have agreed to set out a new strategy for shipyards, which will create a better competitive position on the global market.
The British Parliament emphatically rejected Theresa May's Brexit deal. With the UK due to leave the EU in 10 weeks, there is growing alarm that the impasse will not end in time to avoid the potential economic disaster that would be a no-deal exit.
The EU Commission is acting on a request by two countries and will now look into Fincantieri's plans to buy Chantiers de l'Atlantique. The merger of the two shipbuilders could potentially harm competition, says the Commission.
The current Block Exemption Regulation for liner companies should be revoked, say some. Others want it extended. The EU Commission will now address the issue. ShippingWatch has gathered some of the comments from the disputing parties here.
The latest version of the EU list of shipbreaking facilities has now received final approval. The Indian yards Maersk works with were not approved for the list. The rules will come into force two weeks from now.
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager says liner shipping companies' unique possibility of forming collaborative arrangements has worked well. But the outcome of the review she is working on right now could be "quite extensive," she says in an interview with ShippingWatch.
EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager has approved the privatization of German shipping bank HSH Nordbank. German authorities have found a sustainable solution for the bank, she says.
Negotiators last week agreed on a draft for an exit arrangement between the EU and Great Britain, which has decided to leave the union.
If the EU Commission decides to end a unique competition rule for the liner shipping companies, it will make some elements more difficult for the container carriers, Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen tells ShippingWatch.
There is a real risk that the special consortia block exemption that allows competing liner companies to collaborate could be ditched entirely when the EU Commission reviews the exemption soon, says Martin Andre Dittmer, secretary general of the European Maritime Law Organization, to ShippingWatch.
MEP Christen Schaldemose will continue to push the EU Commission until it takes concrete actions to hinder state aid for South Korean and Chinese shipbuilders.
The EU response to South Korean shipping subsidies should be tough, say European shipowners and maritime suppliers. The state aid creates significant problems for the industry, they say.
Is the EU block exemption – which allows competing container carriers to collaborate – working as intended? Recently, several shippers have criticized the liner companies for lack of transparency and unfair bunker surcharges. The shipowners disagree. The parties now have three months to voice their case to the EU.
Asian state subsidies are significantly impacting competition for European carriers and yards, says the EU Commission, which will defend the maritime industry against overproduction of vessels.
There is no need for the EU to approve new shipbreaking facilities at, for instance, India's controversial beaching shores to scrap the fleet of EU-flagged vessels at safe facilities, as there is plenty of capacity at the already cleared yards, say two NGOs.
A 17-page bill from the European Commission will kick-start the debate on reforming the WTO. The organization has not been able to sufficiently adapt to developments, says the Commission.
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