TTM15200 - Background Material: Shipping organisations

Organisation

Abbreviation

Function

American Bureau of Shipping

ABS

American classification society (see TTM15030)

Baltic and International Maritime Conference

BIMCO

World’s largest shipping organisation with broad membership. Functions include a representative body, advice service to members, and publishing of standard charterparty and sale & purchase documents, (see TTM15030).

Baltic Exchange

Baltic

Shipping market in London, for shipowners, brokers, agents, managers and operators, particularly those in bulk market

British International Freight Association

BIFA

Representative body of freight forwarders and the operators of road, rail, maritime intermodal and air freight services. Supports a code of conduct for members, training programmes, lobbies governments and publishes standard freight forwarding agreements.

British Shippers’ Council

BSC

Represents the interest of shippers using air and sea transport

Bureau Veritas (France)

BV

French classification society (see TTM15030)

Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom (The)

CoS

Represents the interests of British shipowners and ship managers. Covers all issues on British shipping and its various sectors. The CoS was a principal proponent for the development of the UK’s Tonnage Tax.

China Classification Society

CCS

Chinese classification society (see TTM15030)

Department for Transport

DfT

Ministry responsible for transport in the UK, including shipping. Certifies and monitors the training requirement of tonnage tax companies. See TTM04020 

Det Norske Veritas (Norway)

DNV

Norwegian classification society (see TTM15030)

Germanischer Lloyd (Germany)

GL

German classification society (see TTM15030)

Hellenic Register of Shipping

HRS

Greek classification society (see TTM15030)

Indian Register of Shipping

IRS

Indian classification society (see TTM15030)

Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers

ICS

International body based in London, offering professional qualifications to shipbrokers (FICS and MRCS)

International Association of Classification Societies

IACS

Representative body of classification societies, based in London

International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners

INTERCARGO

Representative body for bulk ship owners, particularly Greek. Based in London.

International Association of Independent Tanker Owners

INTERTANKO

Representative body for about ¾ of the independent tanker fleets. Issues a number of standard documents for tanker operators. Based in Norway.

International Association of Ports and Harbours

IAPH

Worldwide association for ports and harbours to promote the interests of members.

International Chamber of Commerce

ICC

Representative body for the promotion of international trade, based in Paris. Sponsors the International Court of Arbitration and the International Maritime Bureau.

International Chamber of Shipping

ICS

Promotion of the shipping industry worldwide.

International Maritime Bureau

IMB

International crime fighting bureau for maritime matters. Sponsored by the ICC.

International Maritime Organisation

IMO

The only UN organisation headquartered in London, concerned with maritime issues, particularly safety and pollution. Promoted the Convention on Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), as well as other international treaties and standards. All ships now identified by their unique IMO number.

International Ship Managers Association

ISMA

Association for ship and crew managers. Promotes the ‘ISMA Code’ of standards for ship management.

International Ship Suppliers Association

ISSA

Representative body for the suppliers to ships, based in UK.

International Shipping Federation

ISF

The federation of shipowners dealing with matters concerning employees.

International Transport Workers’ Federation

ITF

Federation of transport workers’ unions, based in London.

Korean Register of Shipping

KRS

Korean classification society (see TTM15030)

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (UK)

LR

British classification society (see TTM15030)

London Tanker Brokers’ Panel

LTBP

Independent body of shipbrokers to act as adjudicators of charter rates for tankers. Decisions recognised by tax authorities as acceptable for transfer pricing. Publishes monthly the Average Freight Rate Assessment (AFRA) of rates for standard voyages. See TTM15150 on Worldscale.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

MCA

Executive agency of Dft, formed from the merger of the Maritime Safety Agency and the Coastguard. Responsible in the UK for ship registration, seafarer certification, maritime safety, and port state control of foreign ships.

Maritime Training Trust

MTT

Trust set up to administer training of seafarers from PILOT payments received under the training requirement. See TTM04001.

Mission to Seafarers

Seafarers’ spiritual and material welfare organisation, headquartered in London.

National Union of Marine, Aviation & Shipping Transport Officers

NUMAST

Trade union for masters, officers and cadets.

National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers

RMT

Trade union for ratings.

Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (Japan)

Class NK

Japanese classification society (see TTM15030)

Polski Rejestr Statkow (Poland)

PRS

Polish classification society (see TTM15030)

Registro Italiano Navale (Italy)

RINA

Italian classification society (see TTM15030)

Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators

SIGTTO

Trade association for liquefied gas tanker and terminal operators.

The Salvage Association

International organisation based in London for loss adjusting and surveyor services in connection with salvage and repairs of ships.

UK Offshore Operators Association

UKOOA

Representative body for UK offshore oil and gas industry.