INTERTANKO Discusses Developments

INTERTANKO’s work in the IMO and its regional representational programs in Asia, the EU and in the US were reviewed in a session chaired by INTERTANKO’s Deputy Managing Director, Svein Ringbakken. Talking on INTERTANKO’s work in the IMO, INTERTANKO’s Technical Director, Dragos Rauta, pointed to member involvement as one of the key factors necessary to be effective in the IMO. He said that inter-industry communication and also communications with governments on a regular basis between IMO meetings were essential. INTERTANKO spends in excess of 3000 man hours on IMO-related work, excluding member involvement attending and preparing for 18 different IMO meetings on a yearly basis. Watching developments and being ahead of them was his key message. Ketil Djonne, INTERTANKO’s lobbyist in Brussels, pointed to the importance of becoming involved in the processes early, of being constructive and co-operative and thus able to participate and steer developments rather than objecting and being left on the wayside. He pointed to the fact that INTERTANKO’s membership had identified engagement in European Union processes as important well ahead of the Erika incident in 1999. He presented the current regulatory developments in the EU and explained how INTERTANKO had been involved in bringing influence to these processes. “INTERTANKO is established as the undisputable voice of the tanker industry in Brussels,” he said. INTERTANKO’s Washington representative, Jonathan Benner, described the development of a mature representational program comparing assets and liabilities during the pre-OPA 90 days and the current situation. He pointed out that while INTERTANKO had little U.S. political experience in 1990 this had changed during more than 10 years of continuous involvement in the U.S. The engagement of local members and recognition by the USCG and others of INTERTANKO as a credible partner had added to the Association’s influence. Maritime security related issues were, of course, high on INTERTANKO’s work program in the U.S. in addition to state and federal issues and interrelation with the international maritime safety and environmental protection regimes. INTERTANKO’s Asian work program was introduced by Minerva Alfonso, INTERTANKO Sr. Vice President & Asian Representative, who acted as a local contact for members communicating their concerns to the organisation. In addition, INTERTANKO was actively engaged in contact with local governments and was developing a work program based on local issues such as Malacca Straits transits, bunkering issues and contact with multiple local governments. Source: INTERTANKO News