Box carriers, lessors set up container association

Box carriers, lessors set up container association    Container shipping lines and box lessors are setting up a worldwide association, to be named the Container Owners Association, to raise cooperation among its members and other associated industry bodies in technical and operational fields.
   The container shipping line and container leasing industries already had associations, but without a common structure that brought in both types of container owners.
   The first of two planning meetings to establish the Container Owners Association took place in Amsterdam at the end of March and was attended by more than 20 representatives of shipping lines and lessors. The second planning meeting will take place in Asia in June, enabling representatives from the Asian container shipping and leasing community to participate in the planning process. The inaugural meeting of the new association is scheduled for November, said Capital Lease, a leasing company, on behalf of the fledgling group.
   The new association will aim to:
   * Standardize box inspection and repair criteria.
   * Standardize container specifications.
   * Benchmark container manufacturing standards and procedures.
   * Facilitate equipment interchange.
   Other issues for future discussion by the association will include the development of new and alternative materials and technology for containers, IT and communications and fleet management efficiency.
   Participants at the first planning meeting agreed to work with existing shipping line and leasing company bodies, in particular the International Chamber of Shipping, the Institute of International Container Lessors and the World Shipping Council, to foster a common industry approach to the agreed aims.