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

18 April 2024, Singapore

Press Release on 37th Interim Meeting ofASA Shipping Policy Committee (SPC)
Asian Shipwoners’ Association (ASA) held the 37th Interim Meeting of Shipping Policy
Committee (SPC) in Singapore on 15 April in conjunction with Singapore Maritime
Week. Around 30 participants mainly from ASEAN, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japanand South Korea joined the meeting in person or online.
Mr Keiji Tsuchiya, Chair of SPC, said “it was much honor to preside the meeting for myfirst time. Amid various challenges faced by the Asian and global shipping industry forsustainable business, such as regional environment regulations, Red Sea crisis andshortage of seafarers, the SPC concluded that it was more indispensable than ever, toexpress Asian voices for smooth flow of global trade”. For details of the SPC meeting,please see its meeting summary and attendance list as attached.

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SPC delegates attending the 37th Interim Meeting in person
SPC delegates attending the 37th Interim Meeting online
Discussion during the meeting-2-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

15 April 2024, Singapore

MEETING SUMMARY
ofthe 37th Interim Meeting of the Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA)
Shipping Policy Committee (SPC)
The 37th Interim Meeting of ASA SPC was held in Singapore on 15 April 2024. The meeting
was chaired by Mr Keiji Tsuchiya, Vice President of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association andparticipated in by 19 delegates from ASA member associations of ASEAN, Australia, China,
Hong Kong, Japan and Korea and 8 observers and guests from ASA Associate Members andrelated organisations, as per the attendance list attached.
During the ASA SPC interim meeting, members were committed to ensuring full compliancewith all applicable competition laws throughout the entire programme under diligent guidancefrom their legal counsel, as in previous meetings. The outline of the meeting is as follows:
1. Recent Developments on International Policy and Supply Chain
With grave concern over the current situation in the Red Sea where vessels were seized and/or
attacked by Houthis against a background of heightened geopolitical tensions including recent
developments in Persian Gulf, SPC delegates agreed to advocate, in cooperation with ASA
Safe Navigation and Environment Committee (SNEC), Seafarers Committee (SC) andstakeholders, that innocent passage of vessels should be always respected in order to ensure
safety of seafarers onboard and sustainable development of global economy.
In addition, in the light of protectionist measures being taken by Bangladesh and Indonesia,
SPC continues to closely monitor developments in the countries and takes any necessaryactions.
The meeting also noted recent activities of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN)
including launch of new platforms against facilitation payments, which has long been significant
burden on seafarers and obstacles to fair trade for shipping companies. SPC members wereencouraged to use MACN Anonymous Reporting System in order to assist in MACN’s activities
to eliminate all forms of maritime corruption.
-1-2. Anti-trust Immunity and US Legislative Developments
The latest developments concerning the review of the anti-trust immunity system for carriers’agreements in several jurisdictions were reported by Mr Robert K. Magovern, Cozen O’Connor
and the SPC’s legal counsel. SPC members expressed their disappointment over the recent
decisions of EC and the UK to expire their Consortia Block Exemption Regulations, but
encouragement that the EC continued to acknowledge the significant and well-known benefitsof consortia notwithstanding the expiration of this sector-specific regulation. ASA continues totake necessary actions, in collaboration with other associations, to call for maintenance of antitrust immunity systems in other countries around the world in accordance with the longstanding
policy that such anti-trust immunity systems remains indispensable for the healthy developmentof the liner shipping industry as well as improvement in scheduling and better quality services
provided to their customers.
SPC also noted the recent regulatory and legislative developments on US maritime issues
including administrative rulemaking and a petition seeking imposition of fees against Chinesebuilt-vessels. ASA agreed to support industry’s opposition to this position to promote fair trade.
3. Canal Issues
SPC delegates expressed their appreciation to Panama Canal Authority (ACP) for their efforts
in maintaining the canal operations under historical water shortages and, at the same time,
noted some comments that fair treatment between types of vessels should be ensured in
respect of allocation of booking slots for both locks during restrictive measures in place. The
meeting discussed possible introduction of market-linked pricing policy by ACP from 2026,
which has been already adopted by Suez Canal Authority (SCA), and shared view that toll
pricing should be reviewed based on the estimated costs of mid-to-long term investment plans,in order to avoid market volatility and instead ensure the safe, smooth and stable managementof the strategic waterways.
Regarding future actions, it was agreed for ASA to assume the initiative role of developing
common positions within the industry and also to seek establishment of regular dialogues with
ACP and SCA. To achieve those actions, SPC members are further encouraged to assist inupdating ASA’s positions in a timely manner by providing insights and corresponding data.
4. Recent GHG Developments at IMO and EU-ETSMr Simon Bennett, Deputy Secretary General, ICS, made his presentation on outcomes of 81st
meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of International Maritime
Organisation (IMO), especially focusing on merits of a flat rate (“levy-based”) contribution
system, as well as issues surrounding implementation of EU-ETS, effective from January 2024.
In order to avoid further piecemeal proliferation of national or regional GHG pricing measuresbeing applied to ships, SPC fully supported the ICS’s initiative to explore early establishment ofa global GHG pricing mechanism, including the proposed “Zero Emission Shipping Fund(ZESF) Fund and Reward (Feebate) Mechanism”, which is aimed at reducing the cost gap andproviding incentives to early movers in order to result in accelerating decarbonisation in the-2-

industry. SPC members were requested to consider communications with their own
governments for achieving their better understanding and support to the concept of theproposal, in advance of MEPC 82 in September, which could bring greater certainty and lesseconomic impacts to shipping business.
5. Decarbonisation and Seafarers
We had presentations from Dr Pierre Sames, SVP & Strategic Development Director, DNVMaritime, Mr Gerardo A. Borromeo, Vice President for External Affairs, Filipino Shipowners
Association, and Mr Duo Zhang, Secretary to ASA Seafarers' Committee (SC) respectively
regarding impacts of decarbonisation on the international shipping industry and seafarers. In
light of an projection that 750,000 seafarers should be trained on handling alternative fuel, withpriority on LNG and batteries, by 2050, SPC agreed to explore possible collaboration with ASA
SC to attract new seafarers as well as to drive smooth transition for existing seafarers to meetrequirements onboard for decarbonisation as Asia is in a geographically advanced position inhaving major supply of seafarers and shipowners accounting for half of the world tonnage.

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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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ASA SPCASA 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

15 April 2024

The 37th Interim Meeting of
ASA Shipping Policy Committee (SPC)
on 15 April 2024

Attendance List
* Online participants

CHAIRMANMr Keiji Tsuchiya

Vice President, Japanese Shipowners’ Association

MEMBERS< Chinese Shipowners’ Association (CSA) >Mr Duo Zhang
Secretary to ASA Seafarers' Committee
Professor, COSCO SHIPPING Talent Development Institute< Federation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Association (FASA) >< FASA-Indonesia (INSA) >Mr Sulistyo Buddy Rakhmadi
Commercial Director, Gurita Lintas Samudera< FASA-Malaysia (MASA) >Mr Mohamed Safwan Othman
Mr Shaharuzzaman BaharumChairman, MASA
President / Group CEO, Dinastia Jati Sdn Bhd
Secretary General, MASA

< FASA-Singapore (SSA) >Ms Haniza Mustaffa*
Technical Director, SSA< FASA-Philippines (FSA) >Mr Gerardo A. Borromeo
Vice-President for External Affairs, FSA
Vice-Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, PTC Holdings Corporation< Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA)>
Capt. Nittin Handa
Director (Regulatory Affairs), HKSOA< Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA) >Mr Takuji Banno
Managing Executive Officer, NYK LineMr Makoto Inomoto*Executive Officer, Mitsui O.S.K.Lines, Ltd

Ms Kumiko Iwasa*

Project General Manager, Corporate Planning Group,
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.

< Korea Shipowners’ Association (KSA) >Mr Jungyub Lee
Executive Vice President (Head of Container Business Unit), HMM Co., Ltd.
Mr Jonghwa Lee*
Business Affairs Team, Deputy General Manager, KSA< Maritime Industry Australia Ltd (MIAL) >Ms Angela Gillham
Chief Executive Officer, MIALASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Mr Brendan Williams
Mr Shawn Tan
Mr David Miranda Silgado
Mr Aaron Zhu
Capt. Neil Watts

Head of Planning, Special Assistant to EVP, Interasia LinesDirector, International Registries Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Chief of Regional Office in Singapore, Panama Maritime Authority
Consultant, Culmen International LLC
Senior Associate, Culmen International, LLC

GUEST SPEAKER
Mr Simon Bennett
Dr Pierre Sames

Deputy Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping
SVP & Strategic Development Director, DNV Maritime

ASA SECRETARIATMr Yuichi SonodaMr Dylan Ow

Secretary General, ASA
Senior Manager, ASA

LEGAL COUNSELMr Robert Magovern

Partner, Vice-Chair Transportation & Trade, Cozen O’Connor

SECRETARIATMr Masayuki Ito
Mr Daijiro Mizushima
Ms Hiroko Saito

General Manager, Planning Division, JSAManager, Planning Division, JSA
Planning Division, JSA------------------------