The World Shipping Council (WSC) today voiced serious concerns regarding the port fee regime announced by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), cautioning that the measures could undermine American trade, hurt U.S. producers, and weaken efforts to strengthen the nation’s maritime industry.

The World Shipping Council has welcomed an unprecedented global agreement at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) today, as a critical next step toward shipping decarbonization.
Following a contentious and difficult debate, the IMO reached agreement on a measure to be finalized and adopted in October. The measure establishes a GHG fuel standard and framework that, if adopted, will require continuous reductions in GHG fuel intensity beginning in 2028 with ongoing reductions over the next two decades. IMO is poised to move forward on a topic that has evaded legally binding standards in many other fora for decades.

World Shipping Council President & CEO Joe Kramek welcomes the U.S. administration's plan to rebuild American shipbuilding through strategic public-private investment, workforce development, and targeted incentives to rebuild shipbuilding capacity. 

“We want to work constructively with the administration on its efforts to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry,” Joe Kramek said. 

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is on the cusp of striking the world’s first global carbon pricing deal for any industry. “If that happens, it’ll be a major milestone for climate policy and a turning point for shipping,” said World Shipping Council President & CEO Joe Kramek.

To succeed, the measure must help bridge the price gap between fossil fuels and cleaner alternatives, including zero and near-zero (ZNZ) fuels. That’s essential to drive investment in green energy and fuel supply, and to build the economies of scale needed to reduce cost over time.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) today expressed its support for the United States Trade Representative’s goal of building a vibrant U.S. maritime sector, while expressing its strong opposition to the proposed fee on port calls for Chinese-built vessels, and fleets that contain Chinese-built vessels or have vessels on order from China, saying it would aggravate inflation for U.S. consumers and businesses, threaten jobs, and have especially negative impacts on U.S. farmers and other exporters.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) today released new research that shows both renewable-capable vessels and renewable fuels could be available to meet EU 2030 targets, but that the price gap between fossil and renewable fuels is the major barrier to making decarbonisation a reality.

As a global shipping hub and major supplier of traditional maritime fuels, the European Union risks being left behind if it doesn’t put serious investment and political commitment behind the Clean Industrial Deal announced today, says the World Shipping Council (WSC).  

We’re encouraged by the progress made at the IMO this week ahead of the MEPC 83 meeting in April, WSC Vice-President Environment and Climate Bryan Wood-Thomas said.

Brussels, Belgium, February 10, 2025 – The close collaboration between ocean carriers, customs authorities, law enforcement and regulators have led to successes in disrupting drug trafficking through containerized shipping. To build on this momentum, the World Shipping Council (WSC) convened its first-ever “Technology Day” at the World Customs Organization (WCO) headquarters in Brussels on January 30-31, 2025. This milestone event reinforced the deepening cooperation between industry stakeholders and government agencies in advancing security technologies to combat illicit trade.

Brussels, January 29, 2024 — The World Shipping Council welcomes the balance between sustainability and competitiveness struck in the European Commission’s Competitiveness Compass released today, that will form the basis for the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal.

Ahead of World Customs Day 2025, the shipping, logistics, and trade industry has issued a joint statement calling for customs reform that keeps pace with the growing complexity of global trade. 

What immense relief for the Galaxy Leader crew and their families to hear the news of their release after 14 months in captivity," Joe Kramek, President and CEO of World Shipping Council said.

The shipping industry is taking proactive steps to implement improved safety measures for transporting charcoal, ahead of mandatory IMO regulations in 2026.  

The World Shipping Council (WSC) Board of Directors has elected Soren Toft, CEO of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, as the new Chair of the World Shipping Council Board. Randy Chen, Vice Chairman of Wan Hai Lines, has been elected Vice Chair.

Pest-resistant container design took centre stage at a meeting between specialists from the global container shipping industry and biosecurity experts, aiming to address the $423 billion global challenge posed by invasive pests every year.

The designated European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, will play a pivotal role in securing supply chains and decarbonising the shipping sector, the World Shipping Council said, welcoming the opportunity to continue a constructive dialogue with the EU Commission.

Washington D.C., 23 October 2024 – The World Shipping Council (WSC) is pleased to announce the release of the second edition of the WSC Whale Chart, a vital voyage planning tool aimed at helping the global merchant shipping industry protect whale populations. Building on the positive response to the first edition, published in November 2023, this updated version incorporates additional features to assist ship operators in reducing the risk of vessel strikes and mitigating underwater noise pollution, both of which can significantly impact marine life.

Engineers, technologists, regulators and shipping experts will gather at a unique conference in Rotterdam this November to consider the scope for redesigning the exterior and interior surfaces of intermodal freight containers used for sea transport to reduce the risk of them becoming contaminated by plant or animals and inadvertently contributing to the global spread of invasive pests.

The maritime industry, represented by the signatory industry organizations, is united in its pursuit of net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 consistent with the International Maritime Organization’s 2023 Strategy. Significant work remains and IMO Member States must build on the historic momentum that delivered the 2023 Strategy to develop, adopt, and implement appropriate mid-term GHG reduction measures.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Tamekia Flack as its new Director of U.S. Government Relations, effective immediately.  Tamekia will lead WSC’s efforts to advance key safety, security, and environmental priorities in the U.S.A.