OCEAN leaders gather in Brussels!
Priorities for the future
After a very successful 40th birthday celebration in 2016, the Board of OCEAN met in Brussels last month for its bi-annual gathering to define the general political direction and priorities for the European Ship suppliers Organisation for the months and years to come and to take some important decisions.
As usual the OCEAN Working Groups on Veterinary Affairs and Customs & Taxation had met beforehand to discuss the challenges and opportunities the industry faces with wide-ranging discussions amongst company experts.
The OCEAN Board members noted with great satisfaction that the organisation had successfully submitted its position on the EU’s Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625, which affects the ship provisions and the food for crew or passengers.
With each ship supply, a set of veterinary documents may be required. Certain of these food items require clear traceability, and, as such, their supply chain is closely monitored from entry to the approved warehouse, during storage and after exit from the warehouse to the ship.
Recognising the fact that OCEAN’s members are affected by the European organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Union from third countries, the Board expressed the need to have in place a simple and flexible legislation notably where it concerns the working environment of our industry.
The OCEAN Board also thanked Mr Matti Kokkala from Finland who has retired from the OCEAN Board at the end of the year after many years valuable service as OCEAN Treasurer and Board member for Finland.
OCEAN German Board member, Mr. Wolfgang Sump, representing the OCEAN Board and all the German members presented this long-standing OCEAN member with a souvenir book of the German Elbphilharmonie, the new concert hall in the HafenCity quarter of Hamburg, Germany, on the Grasbrook peninsula of the Elbe River.
It is one of the largest and most acoustically advanced concert halls in the world. It is popularly nicknamed Elphi.
Mr. Sump said to Mr Kokkala: “We wish you many fun moments in your retirement; for example enjoying a concert in these great new music halls.
“We do want to remind you of your everlasting link to the maritime world and ship supply.”
OCEAN Chairman Dirk Cupido added: “What better symbol could there be than the Elbphilharmonie, a new start into a life of enjoyment and fun events, close to the water, the sea and our wonderful ship supply world. From all of the OCEAN family, Matti, we thank you and we will miss you.”
Finally, the Board discussed the EU Commission’s White Paper on the future of Europe and a separate paper on harnessing globalisation.
The Board analysed the European Council (Art. 50) guidelines for Brexit negotiations and discussed the possible impact of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
At the end of the successful meeting, the Chairman announced that the date and place of the next Board meeting would be on 12th November 2017 in Athens, Greece right after the ISSA convention concludes.
