ASIAN SHIPOWNERS’ASSOCIATION
10 Anson Road
#16-18, International Plaza,
Singapore 079903
Tel: (65) 6325 4737 Fax: (65) 6325 4451
General Email: information@asf.com.sg
Website: www.asianshipowners.org

th20 May 2016
Shanghai, China

PRESS RELEASEOne Asia, One Voiceth

In a distinguished gathering of Asian shipowning interest, over 170 delegates attended the 25th
Annual General meeting of the Asian Shipowners’ Forum in Shanghai on 19 May 2016.

To better reflect the present structure of ASF, it was agreed that a new name Asian Shipowners’
Association (ASA) will now be adopted.

ASA is committed to providing a united Asian voice on issues affecting shipping and representing
their members’ interest.

thOf the many pressing issues raised during the 25
highlighted for particular consideration:

Annual General Meeting, the following were

The need for stable and transparent Panama and Suez Canal tolls in future.
The Spanish court judgement regarding the MV Prestige and the impact this may have on the 1992
Civil Liability Convention.
The need for eternal vigilance to counter piracy and armed robbery in the Straits of Malacca andSingapore.
The importance of the implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) .
The EU’s proposal to potentially introduce a levy on all ships entering EU ports related to shiprecycling.

For more information on these issues, refer to the Report of the Meeting.

Page 1 of 2

_______________________________________________________________________________For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Mr. Harry Shin
Secretary General
Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA)

Tel:(+65) 6325 4737

Email:

harryshin@asf.com.sg

Website:www.asianshipowners.org

The Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) is a voluntary organization of the shipowner associations of Australia,
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 Asianshipowners. Between annual ASA meetings, the ongoing work is carried out by five Standing Committees: TheShipping Economics Review Committee, the Seafarers Committee, the Ship Recycling Committee, the Safe
Navigation and Environment Committee, and the Ship Insurance and Liability Committee. It has been estimatedthat ASA shipowners and managers control and operate around 50% of the world's cargo carrying fleet.

Page 2 of 2

ASIAN SHIPOWNERS’ASSOCIATION
10 Anson Road
#16-18, International Plaza,Singapore 079903
Tel: (65) 6325 4737 Fax: (65) 6325 4451
General Email: information@asf.com.sg
Website: www.asianshipowners.org

th20 May 2016
Shanghai, China

Report of the Meetingth

The 25 Annual General Meeting of the Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) was held in Shanghai, Chinathon 19 May 2016, hosted by the China Shipowners’ Association (CSA).

thMr Xu Lirong, Chairman of the 25 ASF, welcomed the delegates of member associations andannounced the theme for this meeting – One Asia, One Voice – calling members to build stronger
collaborations amongst the shipping industry and associations.

During the Annual General Meeting, it was announced that ASF will operate under a new name. The
Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) will be known as Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA).

Maritime Labour Convention 2006
ASA welcomes the adoption of the new amendments to the Convention at the 2nd meeting of theSpecial Tripartite Committee held last February in Geneva, concerning elimination of shipboard
harassment and bullying and extension of the validity of the maritime labour certificate under specificcircumstances, which will be considered for adoption by the next session of the ILO InternationalLabour Conference in June 2016. ASA therefore urges all stakeholders to support and get preparedto implement those amendments which will be expected to enter into force in late 2018.

Canal Tolls
The newly expanded Suez Canal, which opened in August 2015 and the new locks of the Panama
Canal, scheduled to be inaugurated in June 2016, would bring about a new dimension to maritime
logistics and overall global trade.

ASA agreed to continue its efforts, in collaboration with international shipping organizations such as
the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), to establish a regular dialogue mechanism between therespective authorities of the Panama/Suez Canals and users of those canals in the form of some kindof institution in order to continuously secure a safe-transit environment and preventing irrational tollincreases.

Page 1 of 3

MV Prestige Judgement
The ASA referred to the press release issued by the Ship Insurance and Liability Committee (SILC)
on 9th March 2016, and reiterates that Asian Shipowners are deeply troubled by the judgement of theSpanish Supreme Court in the case of Captain Mangouras and the MV Prestige. The Spanish
Supreme Court has taken the incredible step of reversing the findings of fact of the lower courts,
heaping full blame for the incident on an octogenarian master. To all intents and purposes, this is
obviously a political decision, made with the clear intent to ignore Spain’s obligation to comply in goodfaith with the 1992 Civil Liability Convention, and deprive the shipowner of the right to limit liability forpollution damage. Spain’s actions might serve short term political needs, but undermine the bedrockof an effective and well developed compensation system, actions that are very likely to result in
financial difficulty for future victims of pollution incidents.

Piracy & Armed Robbery
In the first part of 2015, it was noted that there had been a marked increase in the number of reported
incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the Straits of Malacca & Singapore. This number has
subsequently dropped drastically in the last quarter of 2015 and the first half of 2016.

In this regard, the ASA expressed its appreciation for the continued vigilance and pro-active
multilateral maritime security initiatives on the part of the three littoral governments of Indonesia,
Malaysia and Singapore in those waters.

Similarly, the ASA also welcomed the launch of the Regional Guide to Counter Piracy & Armed
Robbery Against Ships in Asia, which had been developed by the ReCAAP after close consultation
with ASA and other industry stakeholders.

The ASA emphasized that as responsible shipowners, we must take all necessary steps to ensure thesafety and well being of our seafarers. As such, we must step up and ensure that any guidancedeveloped must incorporate input from shipowners who operate in the region and are familiar withprevailing conditions.

Ship Recycling Regulation – EU Financial Instrument
The ASA affirms that any unilaterally-imposed regional regulation will not be an appropriate solution toensure green ship recycling worldwide as long as regulations do not consider common practices inmajor ship recycling countries. In this context, ASA re-affirmed its long-standing policy that the Hong
Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009
(HKC) is the best solution to enhance safety and environmental protection for ship recycling. The ASA
members agreed to encourage their own governments to ratify the HKC at the earliest opportunity.

In this connection, the European Union’s (EU) potential introduction of a financial instrument requiring
all ships entering EU ports, regardless of its flag, to pay a levy in order to ensure the effectiveness ofits regional regulation on ship recycling has raised concerns to many shipowners. The ASA is indiscussion with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the European Community
Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) with respect to this issue.

thDr Frank Lu, Chairman of NACS, was elected as the 26 Asian Shipowners’ Association Chairman.
His term of office will be for a period of one year till the next ASA Annual General Meeting to be heldin Taipei in May 2017.

Page 2 of 3

_______________________________________________________________________________For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Mr. Harry Shin
Secretary General
Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA)

Tel:(+65) 6325 4737

Email:

harryshin@asf.com.sg

Website:www.asianshipowners.org

The Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) is a voluntary organization of the shipowner associations of Australia,
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 Asianshipowners. Between annual ASA meetings, the ongoing work is carried out by five Standing Committees: TheShipping Economics Review Committee, the Seafarers Committee, the Ship Recycling Committee, the SafeNavigation and Environment Committee, and the Ship Insurance and Liability Committee. It has been estimatedthat ASA shipowners and managers control and operate around 50% of the world's cargo carrying fleet.

Page 3 of 3