Ferry Business - Summer/Spring 2020

1 1 5 Mike Corrigan joins Guy Platten on the stage at the 2019 Interferry conference in London shipping industry pioneers and will light the path. We want to learn from you to take the whole industry forward.” Interferry is also flying the flag for safety enhancements. A team from our FERRYSAFE project made two visits to the Philippines in 2019 to research how the country has dramatically improved domestic ferry safety over the past decade. The team has since produced a ‘lessons learned’ report to assist other developing nations. Meanwhile, we are among 27 research and industry partners in the LASHFIRE initiative, a four-year, European Union- funded project to identify additional fire safety innovations. We are overseeing an advisory group of operators. Providing leadership in formulating regulatory policy is one of Interferry’s primary roles, particularly as safety and environmental proposals can sometimes unintentionally penalise the sector- specific demands of ferry design and operation. Most urgent at present is the monumental issue of greenhouse gas emissions, where the IMO has proposed potential short-term measures en route to achieving a required 40% energy efficiency improvement by 2030. We are lobbying to ensure that stricter proposals are appropriate for ferry operators. Our strategic plan includes promoting the reliability, efficiency and attractiveness of ferry transport. The evidence already exists. Most developed-world operators are enjoying year-on-year traffic growth – often to record levels – thanks to enhanced shipboard and leisure offerings, and rising demand has prompted a surge in newbuild orders. The world’s ferries carry more than two billion passengers a year, which almost equals airline volumes. That may come as a surprise to non-customers and even many politicians. Backed by independent research, we intend to promote the industry’s economic and social value as incomparable providers of safe, cost effective, enjoyable and eco-friendly travel and trade. Interferry’s current membership of more than 260 operators and suppliers in 40 countries is largely based in North America, Europe and not least Australia – where our 45th annual conference in October will be hosted in Hobart, Tasmania. We are now reaching out to under-represented regions, especially in developing nations, which will boost our collaboration on safety initiatives. We have a lot of planning to do, but what counts from here is the action. And on that, we stand together because failure is not an option. CFR “Interferry has long since evolved into an internationally renowned lobbying force”