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itting on the plane returning from Hong kong gave me the opportunity to reflect on what was, in my view, a very successful convention for the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA). Comments from the delegates and their feedback forms support this view. It was also the individual conversations and conference interaction that inspired and encouraged me. The bunker industry is alive and kicking, with a very strong appetite for greater membership involvement and a desire for IBIA to tackle the thorny issues. A comment that returned time and again was: “Can IBIA provide good, clear guidance to the industry – there is so much inaccurate information out there!” I am pleased to say we are already on that course, and our engagement with the wider shipping community is gaining momentum. In the past weeks, IBIA has taken part in bunker forums with the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (INTERTANkO), the International Chamber of Shipping and the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), looking at the revision of the bunkering guide to good practice and bunker contracts. We are also in the process of lobbying the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to bring forward the Fuel Availability Study and have been speaking with a number of shipping associations and national governments about supporting development of the industry with best practice. Conference topics
Our choice of conference topics also demonstrated that IBIA is prepared to tackle some of the challenging issues that face the industry. These will be covered in greater depth in this issue; IBIA does not want to shy away from such debates and, in fact, the contrary is true. IBIA looks to be
World Bunkering Winter 2013
WB Book Winter 2013.indb 9
transparent and to be at the centre of change – informing, educating and presenting the membership views with strength. For the first time, we used technology to capture the opinions of attendees. Hard evidence is vital to determining effective and decisive action. I appreciate that this was just a snapshot of the membership, but it does give a reflection of your priorities for the association and thoughts on participation, education and training and a whole range of topics. I propose to set out in detail the opinions expressed in the spring issue of World Bunkering. regional meeting
Hong kong also provided the opportunity for the regional chairs, executive committees and the wider secretariat to meet and discuss common issues, to look at the global events of IBIA and at its strengths, synergies and opportunities to learn. This was the first time such a meeting has taken place and, as IBIA grows, will become more important to ensure the membership receives value for money.
to expand upon these initiatives in the next issue. The ongoing theme was to communicate more effectively with you and the wider shipping community and to deliver locally, regionally and internationally. 21st annual dinner
2014 is only a few short weeks away and the IBIAs annual dinner is not only one of the first events of the year, it is one of the events of the year. If you want to be one of the 1,000-plus attendees, you will need to act fast, as ticket sales have already outstripped previous years. That isn’t surprising, as this year is even more special than usual, for IBIA’s 21st birthday celebration will also be taking place at the annual dinner in the Grosvenor House hotel on the 17 February. It is an extraordinary event and one not to be missed by anyone with a serious interest in maintaining a presence in the industry. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible there.
Chief Executive's report
Membership participation is key to IBIA’s growth in 2014
Captain Peter hall
Board meeting
Hong kong was also the venue for the IBIA board meeting. The board has a monthly teleconference and meets in person twice a year. The face-to-face meetings provide the opportunity to discuss strategic issues in depth. The outcomes from this board meeting were to look at developing a new, more dynamic and informative website, assessing the ongoing activity of the working groups, reviewing membership benefits and assessing regional spread. There was also an initiative to capture IBIA’s story – the past the present and the future – in a promotional video; again, I will be able
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