Ferries Expert Offers Perspective on UN Transport Report

Len Roueche, a Director of WFSA and a Consultant to Förde Reederei Seetouristik (FRS), and previously the CEO of Interferry – the trade association lead for the worldwide ferry sector, has offered his views on ways to implement some of the key suggestions in this important and forward-looking just-released report, authored by the United Nations Secretary-General's High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG) on Sustainable Transport of which he is a member. The U.N. report is wide ranging, and Roueche’s comments are focused on recommendations to “support a coalition or partnership network” among both United Nations organizations, and external stakeholders, “to strengthen coherence and accelerate action” toward sustainable transport.

Drawing on his extensive experience with Interferry, where large numbers of organizations – including regulators, and businesses (often with widely divergent viewpoints), were able to come together and achieve “win-win” outcomes, Roueche said, “I think it is advisable in projects like this to break the recommendations down into smaller tasks and assign them to particular people or organizations.” He added, “I believe that we already have the start of a partnership network around this table – the participating organizations in HLAG,” but was quick to emphasize the financial aspects of bringing notions of sustainability to fruition, saying, “I firmly believe that key partners should include the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the other multinational development banks.”

Roueche also offered his views, and Interferry experience regarding one of the key recommendations, which is: “Build[ing] technical capacity of transport planners and implementers, especially in developing countries” through cooperative arrangements with “international organizations, multilateral development banks and governments at all levels.” He cited recent partnerships between Damen, a builder of ferries, with Philippine customers, aimed at crew training, and between Videotel (a leader in the maritime training sector) with an IMOInterferry Ferry Safety project in Bangladesh, as models, saying, “I am hopeful that similar partnerships from the ferry sector can be formed to support the sustainable initiative.”

Roueche also referred to information sharing efforts, where the IMO has hosted Forums for operators and government officials in Indonesia, China, the Philippines and the South Pacific islands. In addition, Interferry in its annual meetings has brought together experienced naval architects, safety personnel and maritime operations executives together with students and professionals from the developing world. With respect to the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association’s efforts in this regard, Roueche said, “We are dedicated to reducing ferry fatalities the world over, and we sponsor an international student design competition for safe affordable ferries for developing nations; so far, the students have created innovative solutions for passenger (and freight) transport in the waters of Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.” Roueche cited the WFSA’s annual conference on Ferry Safety and Technology, “to which professionals and students from developing world are sponsored. The WFSA commissions and pays for student reports on ferry safety, and is engaged in developing a mobile e-learning course for the ferry sector.”