BIMCO sets course for digitalization

Anastasios Papagiannopoulos, CEO of Common Progress, has been appointed as the new President of BIMCO revealing that digitalization will be one of the priorities on his agenda during his two-year presidential term. The new BIMCO President  will also focus on reducing the administrative burden for shippers and on the efficient implementation of environmental regulations across the industry.

First and foremost, Mr. Papagiannopoulos will take action to promote digitalisation. BIMCO will be working on a range of projects using convergent technologies to pursue this objective, including the application of new advances in software capability to develop a brand new contract editing tool. By promoting digitalization, the president’s second theme would be achieved. This would be the reduction of the administrative burden for the ship’s master. An administrative burden that BIMCO will be working to lift further through the removal of unnecessary regulations which no longer serve a purpose for the safe operation of ships.

“BIMCO is focused on driving efficiency, creating better information and increasing simplification, but all of our work to increase digitalisation across the industry comes with a risk, and in everything – our work on cyber safety and security will remain a top priority, ensuring that our members’ ships are safe, that their seafarers are aware of the dangers and our members’ important information is secure”, he said.

Finally, the new President will take action towards the successful implementation and effective enforcement of new stronger environmental regulations by clarifying the obligations and working to ensure regulations are practical and realistic to implement.

BIMCO commits to help shipowners navigate the Ballast Water Management Convention, by highlighting the key dates and advising on equipment selection and the operational realities. BIMCO will also continue to work with other associations and the IMO to help establish a feasible and practical implementation plan to meet the 2020 global cap on sulphur emissions.

Following Papagiannopolous’s election, BIMCO confirmed that Sadan Kaptanoglu, managing director of HI Kaptanoglu Shipping has been elected as BIMCO’s very first female President Designate.