Interferry: Trans-Ocean Focused Regulations a "Serious Concern" for Ferries, Short Sea Shipping Operators

Interferry's Johan Roos says it has serious concerns over "one size fits all" regulations

Delegates gathered for the 39th Annual Interferry conference in Vancouver, Canada this week have heard that a "one size fits all" approach to regulations has resulted in short sea shipping and ferry operators needing to comply with rules that are not applicable to their industry.

"We all need regulations," said Johan Roos, Executive Director at Interferry's European Office.

"What we see though is one size doesn't fit all."

"Most of the IMO regulation are for the trans-ocean operators - bulk carriers, tankers, container vessels - roughly 95% of the world's fleet. And that's what the regulations are meant for."

Roos exampled that the challenges faced by the ferry industry were different from a cruise vessel, and noted that ballast water management was one area where it did not make sense for both operators to have to comply with the same regulation.

"We have the ballast water treatment convention coming into force maybe next year and we have serious concerns for the short sea sea operators and the ferries," he said

"Basically you may end up in a situation where you have a three nautical mile crossing between Denmark and Sweden and have to invest half a million [Euros] for equipment to kill off organisms in the water. Its the same water!"

Meanwhile, Jeff Lantz, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship, United States Coast Guard, opinioned that one of the issues was that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is not concerned with the cost of compliance when looking at new regulations.

"One of the weaknesses at IMO is that it does not have a cost benefit analysis," he said.

"Whenever we look at the regulatory environment, I think, probably the end result is that it does unduly penalise the good operators who don't need any regulations. Unfortunately not everyone is that way."

The 39th Interferry Annual Conference was held in Vancouver, Canada from October 4-8, 2014.