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Together with the Great Whale Conservancy, the Royal Belgian Shipowners' Association (KBRV) are bringing a life-sized replica of a real female blue whale on a European tour to raise awareness about what the shipping industry and policymakers can do about the high whale fatalities.

Published in the latest edition of the European Transport Law (ETL) Review, the position paper entitled "Charting Uncertain Seas: Legal Ambiguities and Compliance Strategies in EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime Regulations" explores the legal and operational challenges introduced by the EU's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) on shipping, and the FuelEU Maritime initiative.

In the coming week, the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81) will meet to address the complex challenge of decarbonising the maritime industry. Surprisingly, amidst the multitude of proposed measures, the simplest solution may yet hold the key to effective decarbonization: implementing a global price on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, argues the Royal Belgian Shipowners' Association (KBRV).

Under Belgium's Rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the North Sea, Paul Van Tigchelt, is hosting a Brussels Conference on the Wellbeing of Seafarers. This ministerial event will take place in Brussels' Egmont Palace on 8 March, International Women’s Day. 

The question was in the mind of every participant at the panel discussion jointly organised by the Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association and BIMCO at this week’s European Shipping Summit.

Together with other European shipowner associations and companies, the Royal Belgian Shipowners' Association (KBRV) met with public officials of the Directorate-General Climate of the European Commission to provide their feedback on the EU ETS for maritime.

At the forthcoming second meeting of the Joint ILO-IMO Tripartite Working Group to Identify and Address Seafarers’ Issues and the Human Element (27-29 February 2024), participants will discuss the follow-up of the resolution on harassment and bullying including sexual assault and sexual harassment (SASH) in the maritime sector.

The Antwerp-based family business Fast Lines Belgium is a well-known logistic and maritime actor in Belgium and abroad. Besides its HQ in Antwerp, the company has subsidiaries in the UK, Ireland, and Poland. This international character is also evident in their cosy office at the Scheldekaaien, where employees of various nationalities can be found. Like the Polish Iga Cierpiel (27), Shipping & Sustainability Engineer. She’s been developing her maritime career for some time now, and she’s in charge of making all services offered by Fast Lines more sustainable.

On behalf of its members, the Royal Belgian Shipowners' Association (KBRV) welcomes Belgium's takeover of the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which lasts six months until the end of June 2024.

In her role as Head of Marketing and Communications of CMB, Katrien Hennin (36) attempts to inform, and above all inspire, companies and industries who strive for a harmonious balance between economic growth and ecological sustainability.