2017 年 7 月 5 日

一般社団法人 日本船主協会

パナマ運河通航料改定案に対する意見書提出についてパナマ運河庁（ACP）は、コンテナ船、コンテナ／ブレイクバルク船、LPG 船および LNG船の通航料を 2017 年 10 月 1 日より改定する提案を 6 月 1 日付で発表し、7 月 3 日まで同案に関するパブリックコメントを求めておりました。
これを受け、当協会は 6 月 30 日付で ACP に 別添 1 の意見書を提出するとともに、7月 5 日にパナマで開催される公聴会に参加いたします。
また、国際海運会議所（International Chamber of Shipping：ICS）[注 1]とアジア船主協会（Asian Shipowners’ Association：ASA）[注 2]もそれぞれ意見書を提出しましたので、お知らせいたします。
【ご参考】当協会意見書の概要
・ACP の長年に亘る安全、円滑、かつ効率的な運河通航環境確保を通じた世界貿易への貢献に謝意を表明。
・コンテナ船およびコンテナ／ブレイクバルク船の通航料引き下げの提案は海運業界とア
ジア－北米の消費者とって喜ばしく歓迎する。
・LPG 船および LNG 船の通航料改定案については、短い通知期間での大幅な引き上げにより世界的なエネルギー事情にも悪影響を及ぼす可能性があることを懸念。
・パナマ運河は新閘門が開通したことで、世界経済にとってますます重要なインフラとなった一方で、通航安全確保策の徹底等の改善が必要な部分もあり、通航料改定は時期尚早であると考え、見直しを要請。
・通航料政策における安定性・透明性・将来予見性の確保を要請。
・通航料見直しを企図する場合は、十分な事前通告、ユーザーとの事前協議の実施、また荷主を含む関係者への説明を要請。
・海運業界との定期的な対話スキームの早期制度化を要請。
※ICS 意見書 別添 2 、および ASA 意見書 別添 3 は概ね当協会意見書と同内容。

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[注 1] ICS：International Chamber of Shipping（国際海運会議所）
各国船主協会を会員として 1921 年に設立された組織で、本部をロンドンに置く。日本船主協会は 1957年 4 月に加盟。2015 年 2 月 1 日時点で 35 カ国・地域の 36 船協が加盟、世界商船船腹の 80%以上を代表しているとされる。IMO や ILO 等の国際機関等において海運業界を代表する組織として活動している。
[注 2] ASA：Asian Shipowners’ Association（アジア船主協会）
アジア地域の船主間の相互信頼と協力関係の育成を目的として、1992 年に当協会の提唱により設立。日
本船主協会を含む 8 カ国・地域の船主協会で構成される ASA は、世界商船船腹の約 50％を代表すると推定されている。

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別添①

JSA

JAPANESE SHIPOWNERS' ASSOCIATION
Kaiun Building, 2‑6‑4, Hirakawa‑cho

Chiyoda‑ku,Tokyo 1 02‑8603, Japan

Tel : +81‑3‑3264‑7180
Fax : +81‑3‑5226‑9d66
E‑mail: int@jsanet.or.jp

30 June 2017, Tokyo
Mr Jorge L Quijano
Administrator/CEOPanama Canal Authority of the Republic of Panama

Dear Administrator Quijano
The Japanese Shipowners' Association (JSA), which is a nationwide maritime
organisation consisting of 124 Japanese shipping companies, hereby submits its
comments with respect to the proposal to modify the Panama Canal Tolls published by
the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) on 1 June 2017.
On behalf of the Japanese shipping industry, the JSA greatly appreciates the ACP'svarious and long‑standing efforts to support global trade through maintaining a safe,
smooth and effective vesse[ transit environment. In particular, the JSA appreciates theACP's continuing customer‑focused approach to Canal operations that has resulted in
the proposal for "Containerships" and "Container/Breakbulk vessels", which would be
beneficial for not only the shipping industry but also consumers in Asia / North America,
On the other hand, the JSA is extremely concerned about the proposed toll hike for "LPGand LNG vessels". The sharp increase on very short notice could have a bad effect on
the global energy situation and could destabilise the Canal as a stable route. The Canalexpansion has benefited its users and world trade and those vessels have launched theuse of the Canal in a real sense, which is highly significant from the viewpoint of a stableenergy supply in the world and add further weight to the Panama Canal as a public
infrastructure for the world's economy. Meanwhile, new locks still have some areas for
improvement such as safety transit, raising operational efficiency and so on. We do
believe that the top priority is to improve those areas and establish the Canal as a stable
route. It is premature to modify the current toll structure towards an increase. Therefore,the JSA strongly urges the ACP to reconsider the proposal for "LPG and LNG vessels".
Needless to say, the Panama Canal is a crucial key junction for efficient global trade, andthe JSA firmly believes that this important national asset of Panama is also anindispensable public infrastructure for the world's economy. The JSA sincerely asks theACP to further ensure the stability, transparency and foreseeability of the Canal's pricing
policy in order to secure the stabilised growth of world trade. In this regard, we
continuously require a sufficient prior notice period and consultation period for any‑1‑

possible future toll increase. Any tol"ncrease requires enough tiine to have an
understanding among interested parties, and the ACP's explanation to all interested
parties, including cargo owners, would be necessary.

The JSA believes that it would be beneficial for the ACP and Canal users to continue an
open dialogue on various issues in order to secure a stable Canal operation. The
dialogue should deal with not only the issue of Canal tolls but also the measures forenhancing operational efficiency and safety, in addition to the strategies to increase theCanal transit volume, which will undoubtedly contribute to enhancing the Iong‑term stableand future sustainable development of the Canal. The JSA emphasises that securing asafe transit environment at appropriate toll levels is crucially important for both the ACP
and Canal users.

We would greatly appreciate your sincere consideration of our above comments.

Yours sincerely

Koichi Muto
President
The Japanese Shipowners' Association

CC: H.E. Ritter N.Diaz, Ambassador and Consul General of the RepubEc of Panama inJapan‑2‑別添②別添③AsianShipowners’
Association30 June 2017
Panama Canal Authority de Panamá
PROPOSAL TO MODIFY THE PANAMA CANAL TOLLS SYSTEM AND THE RULES
OF ADMEASUREMENT OF VESSELS FOR THE USE OF THE PANAMA CANALErasmo Méndez Icaza Street, Balboa – House #119
Executive Vice Presidency for Planning and Business Development
Strategic Relations Management Section (MERC)
Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panamá
By Facsimile: (507) 272-1416

PROPOSAL TO MODIFY PANAMA CANAL TOLLSPUBLIC CONSULTATION JUNE 2017
ASIAN SHIPOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION COMMENTS
The Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) respectfully submits its comments in response tothe proposal of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to modify the Panama Canal Tolls. TheASA (formerly named the Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF)), consists of the shipowners’
associations of Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea and theFederation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Associations comprising Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The role of the ASA is topromote the interests of the Asian shipping industry and to express its views.
Firstly, the ASA sincerely appreciates the continuing dialogue between the ACP and theshipping industry, and we recognize that to a certain extent, the extremely severe economic
climate facing shipping was reflected in the proposal for “Containerships” and“Container/Breakbulk vessels”. The ASA appreciates this approach to implementation.
However, the ASA is seriously concerned about the proposed toll hike for “LPG and LNGvessels”. The substantial hike on very short notice could have a negative effect on the whole
economy of Asian countries, as well as the energy situation in those countries, which could, inturn, negatively affect the Canal transit volume. The Panama Canal is not only an importantnational asset but also an indispensable public infrastructure for the world’s economy. The
ASA sincerely asks the ACP to further ensure the stability, transparency and foreseeability ofthe Canal’s pricing policy in order to secure the stable growth of world trade. In this case, theASA members require a sufficient prior notice period and consultation period for any possible
10 Anson Road #16-18 International Plaza Singapore 079903
Tel +65 63254737 Fax +65 63254451
Email: information@asa.org.sg Website: www.asianshipowners.org

toll increase. Any toll increase requires enough time to have an understanding amonginterested parties, and the ACP’s explanation to all interested parties, including cargo owners,
would be necessary. We respectfully believe this did not occur in this case for LPG and LNG
vessels and therefore strongly urges the ACP to reconsider the proposal for “LPG and LNG
vessels”.
The ASA firmly believes that it would be beneficial for the ACP and Canal users to continue
an open dialogue on various issues in order to secure a stable and mutually beneficial Canal
operation. We would like to discuss not only the issue of Canal tolls but also the measures forenhancing operational efficiency and safety transit and so on. The ASA emphasizes that
securing a safe transit environment at appropriate toll levels is crucially important for both theACP and Canal users.
We would greatly appreciate your sincere consideration of our above comments.

Yours sincerely

Harry Shin
Secretary General
The Asian Shipowners’ Association

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