The Singapore Shipping Association and Hong Kong Shipowners Association were also represented together with Dagfinn Lunde, Kristian Fuglesang and Minerva Alfonso from the INTERTANKO Secretariat. INTERTANKO established the Asian Regional panel earlier this year to boost the participation of Asia’s tanker shipping interests in the activities of the Association.

Mr K. H. Koo of Tai Chong Cheang Steamship Co. (HK) Ltd. was elected Chairman of the Panel and Mr. Joseph Kwok of Neptune Orient Lines Ltd. the first of two Vice-Chairmen. Both Mr. Koo and Mr. Kwok are members of the INTERTANKO Executive Committee. Both gentlemen were thanked for their willingness to take on the responsibility. It was decided that the second Vice-Chairman should come from Japan, and the Japanese delegation will revert with their nomination as soon as possible.

Discussions at the second Panel session were cordial and very constructive. Issues raised will be dealt with by the Secretariat and the respective INTERTANKO Committees. At the top of the agenda was Singapore’s new port limits and Singapore Off-Port Limits (OPL) about which Captain Anil Singh from Tanker Pacific gave a comprehensive presentation. Mr Shinji Kumagawa of NYK Line made a brief presentation on the congested traffic situation in Tokyo Bay, and also discussed the Japanese government’s plan to expedite the replacement of the existing single hull tankers by double hull prior to the mandatory specified date. INTERTANKO has been asked to take action and appeal against this initiative. Expanding the INTERTANKO membership base in the region was also discussed and the Secretariat’s Regional Manager to East Asia, Minerva Alfonso, received the Panel’s endorsement of measures to actively solicit new members in the area.