- The STM Validation Project Final Conference attracts 350+ people.
- 9 industry actors intend to take responsibility for technical governance of digital Maritime Service Infrastructure developed by STM.
- EU invests 20 million euro in STM Validation project.
- BIMCO’s Documentary Committee adopted STM clause to facilitate just-in-time port calls in commercial contracts.
- Information sharing between ships and ports will contribute to IMO goal of reducing CO2 with 50% by 2050.
Several issues were addressed at the STM Validation Project Final Conference of 2018, says media reports.
One presenter even phrased it as, “If not STM – what? If not now – when?”
What can be concluded from the keynotes?
“I give my full personal support to STM.” IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim was very explicit in his opening keynote speech at the STM Validation Project Final Conference. “STM goes hand in hand with the IMO objectives, and I encourage the Validation project to submit its results to IMO at the next possible committee meeting.”
Other keynote speeches were made by Professor Kurt Bodewig, the EU coordinator for the Motorways of the Seas, the maritime dimension the EU transport corridors and by Jaroslav Kotowski, Senior Project Manager of INEA, the executive agency of the EU. Kotowski hailed the ideas and progress of the STM initiative and said, “Sea Traffic Management is a pillar in the European maritime strategy”. Professor Bodewig emphasized that Motorways of the Seas should improve Short Sea Shipping and integrate even more with the land-based corridors. Multi-modal integration where ports and information sharing are important. This is a perfect fit with STM- enabled services and solutions. Professor Bodewig concluded, “The EU has invested 20 million euro in the STM Validation project and it is a good investment.”
What were the happenings at the conference?
The conference attracted more than 350 people. High-level project results were presented and discussed in panels focusing on safety, efficiency and environmental aspects. Ten demo stations spurred engaging discussions in hour-long networking breaks giving the participants a chance to get a full understanding of operational STM services, the underlying infrastructure, the benefits, and possibilities.
Nine industry actors launched a common initiative with the intention to take responsibility for the technical governance of the underlying digital infrastructure from being project-driven to be long-term operational. This demonstrates clearly that important industry players see commercial opportunities based on STM and believe that it is time to take the concept another step towards full global interoperability.
What followed at BIMCO’s Documentary Committee meeting?
To reap the benefits enabled by STM, business models also need to adapt. One identified problem is that charter parties (as well as other contracts) allocate risks in a way that creates a conflict between economic and environmental efficiency. A small but very important step happened in parallel with the conference at BIMCO’s Documentary Committee meeting. A new STM clause with appropriate Explanatory Notes was adopted and is available for incorporation in BIMCO standard contracts. The Sea Traffic Management Clause for Voyage Charter Parties enable a contractual arrangement on the implementation of STM and helps charterer and shipowner agreeing on how to split benefits coming from optimized speed when port calls are better synchronized. Parties help contractual parties to agree on how to split cost savings coming from optimized speed when port calls are better synchronized.
How can shipping contribute to a greener environment?
Back at the conference, the delegates were really engaged in how shipping can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to stop global warming. The STM results presented, indicated a high saving potential for all ships based on operational efficiencies due to better information sharing between ships and ports. This would be a major contribution to reaching the IMO goal of reducing CO2 with 50% by 2050.
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