Oslo: Regulators came under attack in the opening session of the Nor-Shipping conference this morning. The high calibre lineup of panellists demanded that the IMO and other regulatory bodies are more proactive and think longer term when enacting new laws.
Sturla Henriksen, the ceo of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, said it was vital that there was a regulatory framework that was predictable, while Admiral Paul Zukunft, the commandant of the US Coast Guard, called for the IMO to be more proactive, and less reactive.
Henriksen said that the IMO is often overtaken by regional and national matters, which impedes legislative progress.
The panel also discussed LNG as a fuel onboard with Thomas Rehder, managing partner at Carsten Rehder and president of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations, saying that if the Norwegian NOx fund was brought onto a European level that could be the kick-start for greater LNG use as a fuel. Rehder also called for the US to open up domestic routes to foreign operators.
