World Shipping Council Launched at Vancouver Meetings

VANCOUVER, CANADA — The World Shipping Council, the new ocean common carrier organization that will represent the industry in Washington, D.C., has now commenced operations. The Council held its first Membership and Board of Directors meetings in Vancouver, Canada on September 25 and 26. The World Shipping Council has 31 liner shipping company members which serve the international commerce of the United States and annually transport U.S. import and export cargoes valued at more than $400 billion. A list of the Council membership is attached.

At its initial meeting, the carrier members elected their first Board of Directors. The nine member Board, drawn from senior executives of major shipping companies, is as follows:

Board Member and Company

Sooho Cho, Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd.

Thomas B. Crowley, Jr.,Crowley Maritime Corporation

Richard Huang, Evergreen Marine Corp. (Taiwan) Ltd.

Ray Miles,CP Ships Holdings Inc.

Knud Pontoppidan, A.P. Moller-Maersk Sealand

Olav Rakkenes, Atlantic Container Line AB

Tim Rhein, APL Limited

Mike Seymour, P&O Nedlloyd Limited

Tsunenari Tokugawa, NYK Line

The new Board elected Ray Miles as its first Chairman. Mr. Miles, CEO of CP Ships Holdings, said I look forward to helping guide the Councils initiatives to advance the shipping industrys public policy efforts.

We in the shipping industry are partners in Americas world trade and international growth, Miles added. We want to continue contributing to that growth and providing improved efficiencies to American exporters and consumers. The establishment of a permanent and coordinated voice in Washington to give policymakers and the public a better understanding of what we do and the issues we face as carriers of Americas growing international trade is long overdue.

At its initial Board meeting, held in Vancouver on September 26, the Council formally named Chris Koch as its President and CEO. Koch was formerly a senior executive at CSX in Charlotte, and Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission in Washington, D.C. At the Council meeting, Koch outlined his vision for the industry and the role of the Council. Koch expressed optimism, noting that the Council is off to a strong start with a broad and diverse membership. Well over 90% of the common carriers serving Americas global trade have joined the Council. The Councils mission is to make sense of the economic and political forces that shape this most international of all businesses, and to ensure that the industry has a respected and constructive voice in shaping transportation policy, Koch said.

The World Shipping Council will be headquartered in Washington, D.C.

For further information, please contact Ray Miles, telephone 011-44-20-7389-1110 or Christopher Koch, telephone, (202) 463-2534.