COA Members Newsletter 12 – March 2006

 

  1. COA 2006 Working Group Programme
  2. Spain tightens up on CSC
  3. Antwerp Members Meeting & Gala Dinner (22/23 June 2006)
  4. Proposed Australasian Chapter
  5. Job Seekers/Job Vacancies
  6. New Members
  7. Further information/contributions

 

 

 

  1. COA 2006 Working Group Programme now available

 

The COA’s Working Group (WG) programme has now been finalised and has been published on the COA Website.

 

Members can view it by clicking on: http://www.containerownersassociation.org/10.html.

 

The document gives full details about:

 

-        WG projects

-        WG leaders and contact details

-        WG participants

-        Timetable for completing WG reports

 

 

  1. Spain tightens up on CSC non-compliance

 

The TT Club has advised the COA about changes in legislation in Spain relating to container safety and the CSC. The following message comes from Indeco Marine Consultants, of Barcelona, which specialises in P&I work and legal issues.

 

New Spanish law ruling on container security measures, from 14 January 2006:  Non-compliance will mean detention of the container and possible fines from €3,000 to €90,000

As advised in our Circular (1/A January 2006), all containers approved in accordance with article III of the Convention (CSC/72) are now object in Spain of the effective control from the competent authorities. Containers without Safety Approval Plate, without indication of a standing inspection date or which condition creates a risk to safety or do not comply with the requirements of the new law can be detained.

This would mean that the container cannot be loaded on board a vessel calling in Spain until the deficiency has been corrected, although the cargo can be removed to another container. Containers which have been unloaded in a Spanish port will remain retained in the port terminal and cannot be delivered to their destination until the deficiency has been corrected.

Shipowners, operators and charterers can incur in an infraction (fine) if, for example, they unload a container which does not comply with the regulations and/or when there is a risk of severe danger to people, flora, fauna and to the environment. The owner of the container can also incur in an infraction if, for example, the container is not well- maintained in accordance with the new regulation or if it has no Safety Approval Plate.

Further details are on the news section of the Indeco’s website (www.indeco-spain.com).

 

  1. Antwerp: Members Meeting and Gala Dinner – 22/23 June 2006

 

Initial planning is now under way for the COA Members Meeting in Antwerp. The dates of this have now been confirmed as Thursday 22 and Friday 23 June. (The dates previously announced were felt to be unsuitable, due to the proximity of Public Holidays in certain European countries).

 

Part of the event – including the afternoon session and Gala Dinner on Day 1 - will be organised in conjunction with the BIC National Registration Organisations (NRO) meeting. The provisional schedule is as follows:

 

Wednesday 21 June

 

Evening - Welcome to Antwerp Cocktail Reception

 

Conference: Day 1 – Thursday 22 June

 

Morning: COA plenary sessions (reports from the Chairman and other progress reports)

Afternoon: Joint session with BIC – presentations looking at container/shipping developments and the next 50 years

Evening: Gala Dinner

 

Conference: Day 2 – Friday 23 June

 

Morning: Working Group Sessions

Afternoon: Plenary session, WG reports and conclusion

 

Gala Dinner – Thursday 22 June

The COA is planning - in conjunction with BIC - a Gala Dinner in Antwerp on Thursday 22nd June. This will coincide with the COA and BIC meetings and will be an opportunity to celebrate 2006 as the 50th Anniversary of Containerisation.  

 

Both COA members and non-members will be welcome to participate in the Dinner, either as individuals - or as companies, who can reserve a table. The evening will include a cocktail reception at a location overlooking the River Scheldt, followed by the Gala Dinner and VIP speeches.

 

Further information will be announced in early March.

 

(For COA members interested in football, please note that the dates have been carefully chosen to avoid “major” World Cup matches! The Cocktail Reception on Wednesday 21 June will finish before the 21:00 kick-off of the match involving the Netherlands. Matches on the evening of Thursday 22 June involve three non-European teams and Croatia)

 

 

  1. Proposed Establishment of COA Australasian Chapter

 

As part of the Association’s global expansion, the COA Board is considering the establishment of Regional Sections (or “Chapters”). The aim of these Chapters would be:

 

- To allow greater focus on regional and local container-related issues that are not already being covered by the COA;

- To enable information from Chapter to be fed into existing WGs, and to encourage local members to participate in the WGs;

- To organise regional meetings;

- To facilitate dialogue and communications with other relevant organisations.

 

The formation of an Australasian Chapter could be the first of these Chapters. An inaugural discussion and planning meeting is being organised in Melbourne (Victoria) on Wednesday 8 March by COA Board Director Richard Sykes.

 

For further information, please email: richard@scfcontainers.com.au

 

 

  1. Job Seekers/Job Vacancies

 

If your company is looking to recruit experienced container personnel, you can advertise your vacancy on the COA Job Vacancies Page. Individuals seeking employment can also post their details on the “Job Seekers” section of the website.

 

There are presently two postings on the website. For further information about adding new postings, please contact: secretary@containerownersassociation.org

 

 

  1. New Members

 

The COA is pleased to welcome two new members since the last newsletter:

 

-        Partner member: Bureau International des Containers (www.bic-code.org)

-        Associate member: WorldCargo News (www.wcnpublishing.com)

 

 

  1. Further Information & Contributions

 

For further information about anything in this newsletter, or if you would like to contribute to the next issue (March 2006), contact Patrick Hicks – secretary@containerownersassociation.org