BIMCO DISCUSSES SECURITY CONCERNS WITH U.S. CUSTOMS, TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS

BIMCO DISCUSSES SECURITY CONCERNS WITH U.S. CUSTOMS, TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS    The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) is meeting Monday and Tuesday with high ranking officials from the U.S. Customs Service, other agencies and Congress to discuss concerns in the international shipping industry about U.S. security measures.
   In addition to U.S. Customs, BIMCO officials will meet the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the State Department Visa Office, the U.S. Senate Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Sub-Committee, the U.S. House Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Sub-Committee, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Maritime Administration, and the Department of Transportation.
   The meetings in Washington follow a joint appeal by five international organizations that represent shipowners and seafarers expressing concern over the arbitrary detention of seafarers on ships arriving at U.S. ports. Besides BIMCO, the associations that backed the joint industry appeal are the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANKO), the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) and the International Shipping Federation (ISF).
   In a statement, BIMCO president Michael Everard, said: “This is a very important visit to the U.S, not only for BIMCO and its members but for the entire shipping community.”
   He said that there are a number of very important security issues currently under consideration in the U.S. that “will have a direct impact on shipping and on trading with North America.”
   The BIMCO delegation will consist of Everard; BIMCO president-designate C.C. Tung, of OOCL; BIMCO U.S. liaison officer, Admiral William Kime (Ret.); U.S. Chamber of Shipping president Joseph Cox; BIMCO secretary general Truls W. L’orange; and BIMCO deputy secretary-general, Ove C. Tvedt.
   BIMCO said that the recent joint industry appeal concerning U.S. security costs and procedures will be at the top of its agenda at the meetings with U.S. officials.