AsianShipowners’Association
25th May 2017
Taipei, Taiwan

Press Release
For Immediate Release
The Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) held its 26th Annual General Meeting on
25th May 2017 in Taipei, Taiwan, hosted by the National Association of Chinese
Shipowners (NACS). Mr Vincent Lin, the 26th ASA President, welcomed delegates ofmember associations and called members to build stronger collaboration and unity
amongst the shipping industry and regional partners.
Understanding and implementation of STCW and MLC, 2006
The ASA has noted that the introduction of amendments and new requirements canoften lead to difficulties when changing reasonable and appropriate practices in order
to comply with new regulations. One area of concern is practical on board compliancewith the work/rest hour provisions of MLC, 2006 and STCW.
The ASA is given to understand that some ships may not be maintaining correct
records of work/rest hours, and urges all members to ensure that records aremaintained correctly. In addition, the ASA requests its members to support the master
if instances are reported when the requirements are difficult to comply with.
The Chairman of the ASA Seafarers Committee (SC), Mr Fu Xiangyang, said thatfatigue is of major concern, and compliance with the provisions of STCW and MLC,
2006 is an important step to alleviate fatigue. It is also important to impress onseafarers that rest is essential, and that other distractions should be kept to a minimum
during rest periods so as to combat fatigue.
International CLC and Fund Conventions
The ASA attaches great importance to the consistent application and interpretation ofthe International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) and FundConventions. Concerns have arisen from recent interpretations of the Conventions
with respect to the provisions concerning limitation of liability and the channelling ofliability.

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The ASA is therefore pleased that this issue will be further discussed at the next
session of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC) governingbodies. The ASA encourages States which are currently party to the 1969 CLC tomigrate to the 1992 CLC, and requests all States to consider the benefits of ratificationof the Supplementary Fund Protocol. The ASA furthermore encourages States to ratify
the Protocol of 2010 to the Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) Convention.
The Chairman of the ASA Ship Insurance and Liability Committee (SILC), Mr RobertA. Ho, said that it is important for States to adopt the latest versions of the Conventions
in order to take advantage of the latest increase in limits.
IMO Regulations and Protection for Shipowners
After years of uncertainty, progress was made in 2016 on two issues of utmost
importance to the shipping industry.
In September 2016, Finland acceded to the International Convention for the Controland Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention), which
triggered the Convention as it pushed the tonnage of ratifying parties above the 35%
tonnage threshold. A month later, at the 70th session of the IMO Marine Environment
Protection Committee (MEPC 70), IMO agreed to confirm the implementation of theglobal sulphur limit of 0.50% m/m (mass/mass) with effect from 1 January 2020.
Now that finally there are firm dates, shipowners must be prepared to work closelywith their respective maritime administrations and IMO to ensure that theimplementation of these regulations will be practical and enforceable.
In addition, Mr. Esben Poulsson, Chairman of the ASA Safe Navigation andEnvironment Committee (SNEC), said that, “As responsible shipowners, we are fullycommitted to complying with all legislation to safeguard the environment. We mustalso ensure, however, that shipowners, are not unfairly penalized when they are notable to fully comply due to circumstances beyond their control.”
Canal Tolls
The ASA noted that securing a safe-transit environment at appropriate toll levels wascrucially important for all Panama and Suez Canal users. Mr Eizo Murakami, Chairmanof the ASA Shipping Economics Review Committee (SERC), said, “The ASA should
continue its efforts, in collaboration with international shipping organizations such as
the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), to establish and maintain a regulardialogue mechanism between the respective authorities of the Panama/ Suez Canals
and users of those canals in order to ensure a safe transit environment and prevent
sudden and unjustified toll increases.”

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Tel +65 63254737 Fax +65 63254451
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Hong Kong Convention
In view of continued steady growth of world ship recycling demand, the ASA
reconfirmed the necessity to continue to promote the Hong Kong International
Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) as thesingle global standard. The ASA welcomed yard improvements in Alang, India andsimilar positive improvement activities taking place in other ship recycling countries.
Dr. C. H. Yeh, Chairman of ASA Ship Recycling Committee (SRC), commented thatPanama’s September 2016 ratification and Turkey and Denmark’s ratification in 2017,combined with the intent to ratify by other countries such as India, Japan, China and
The Netherlands indicates a clear direction which will ensure early entry into force ofthe Convention.
Ms Sabrina Chao, as Chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA),
was elected as the 27th Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) President. Ms. Lisa Teo,
as Chairman of Federation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Association (FASA), was elected
as the Vice-President of ASA.
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Editor’s Note:
The Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) is a voluntary organization of the shipowner associations ofAustralia, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea and the Federation of ASEAN
Shipowners’ Associations comprising shipping associations of ASEAN countries. The aims of the ASA
are to promote the interests of Asian shipowners. Between annual ASA meetings, the ongoing work is
carried out by five Standing Committees: The Shipping Economics Review Committee, the Seafarers
Committee, the Ship Recycling Committee, the Safe Navigation and Environment Committee, and theShip Insurance and Liability Committee. It has been estimated that ASA shipowners and managers
control and operate around 50% of the world's cargo carrying fleet.

10 Anson Road #16-18 International Plaza Singapore 079903
Tel +65 63254737 Fax +65 63254451
Email: information@asa.org.sg Website: www.asianshipowners.org