ASA SPC
ASA Shipping Policy Committee
c/o Japanese Shipowners’ Association
Kaiun-Building, 6-4 Hirakawa-cho 2-chome
Chiyoda-ku Tokyo Japan 102-8603
E-mail : int@jsanet.or.jp
Tel:+81-3-3264-7180 Fax:+81-3-5226-9166

AsianShipowners’
Association

14 April 2020, TokyoCHAIRMAN’S STATEMENTofthe 32nd Interim Meeting of the Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA)
Shipping Policy Committee (SPC)
The 32nd Interim Meeting of the ASA SPC was held by online correspondence between 6 to 13April, 2020 due to precautionary measures against COVID-19 (coronavirus). All nominatedmembers of the ASA SPC participated in the correspondence, namely representatives fromAustralia, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and ASEAN countries. ASA SPCmembers were firmly committed to ensuring full compliance with all applicable competition laws
throughout the entire correspondence, under careful guidance from their legal counsel. Mr
Takashi Nakashima, Chairman of the ASA SPC and Vice President of the Japanese
Shipowners’ Association, concluded the main points of the discussion as follows:
1. Ongoing Impact on the Shipping Industry by the Coronavirus Pandemic
The members of the ASA SPC shared our deep concern on the serious impacts on theinternational shipping industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Nakashima stated,“ASA Members indicated they are currently following recommendations and guidance publishedby the ICS (International Chamber of Shipping) and supported by international governmental
institutions including the IMO, ILO and WHO, in order to contain and mitigate the ongoingoutbreak of this pandemic, while maintaining the smooth and efficient transport of food, energy,
raw materials and manufactured goods to the world. In this connection, we would like to urge
related nations and international organisations to provide coordinated and well-balanced actions
that do not unnecessarily hinder smooth supply chains and maritime trade. Currently, the issueof crew changeover is especially becoming a considerable problem for the industry due to travel
restrictions.” The ASA SPC will continue to carefully monitor the situation and take necessary
actions as appropriate in collaboration with the ICS and other maritime organisations.
2. Developments of International Maritime Policy<Against Protectionist Measures>
The ASA SPC noted the recent trend towards protectionist measures in some areas in theworld, such as the US, Russia and Indonesia, with grave concerns. With regard to the cargo
reservation legislation in Indonesia where coal and crude palm oil exports will basically belimited to national carriers from 1 May 2020, Mr Nakashima said, “It is my great regret that such-1-

a clear cargo reservation scheme is still being pushed in such a major country in Asia despite
strong critical voices not only from the international shipping industry including the ASA, ECSA(European Community Shipowners’ Association) and ICS but also from a number of foreign
governments. We firmly believe that such protectionist measures will increase the transport
costs and deteriorate the services, thus never producing any benefit to the entire nation, andshould therefore be revoked.”<Retention of the Anti-Trust Immunity System>
As for the anti-trust immunity system for cooperative carrier shipping agreements, the ASA SPC
reconfirmed ASA’s long-standing policy that such a system was indispensable for the healthy
development of the liner shipping industry and the maintenance of a reliable service to theentire trading community.
3. Panama Canal and Suez Canal Issues
The ASA SPC noted the tolls hike of the Panama Canal and Suez Canal in April 2020 and theintroduction of the new charges to ensure water availability in February 2020. Of thesedevelopments, Mr Nakashima stated, “We have been disappointed with the introduction of thenew charges by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) in February, with only one month priornotice and without any prior consultation, despite its significant financial impact on the industry.
We would like to request the ACP to listen to users’ voices calling for the reconsideration andmodification of the charges, and firmly believe that the water issue, which is quite critical for
Canal users and Panamanian people, should be fully discussed among all stakeholders before
imposing such new requirements.”
4. Anti-Corruption Issues
The ASA SPC recognised the importance for shipping companies to ensure that bribery andother forms of corruption did not disrupt fair trade. Mr Nakashima said, “We strongly support a
proposal to set out IMO guidance to implement and embrace anti-bribery and corruption
practices and procedures submitted by Liberia, Marshall Islands, Norway, the US, Vanuatu,ICS, BIMCO and others which is to be considered at the next session of the IMO FAL(Facilitation Committee).” The ASA SPC will continuously monitor related developments at thiscommittee and address this important task in collaboration with interested parties such as
MACN (Maritime Anti-Corruption Network).

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The ASA Shipping Policy Committee (SPC) is a forum for the members of ASA associations to discuss maritime policy issues such as regulation, taxation, trade
policy, customs, canals, infrastructure and the macro economy, and policy public relations.

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