Business Details
26 Years
experience
Your Trusted Partner for Global Liner Shipping Solutions
The World Shipping Council stands as the unified voice of international liner shipping, representing container and roll-on-roll-off (Ro/Ro) carriers globally. With decades of collective experience in maritime affairs, environmental stewardship, and regulatory policy, our team collaborates closely with policymakers and industry stakeholders to shape the future of sustainable, safe, and secure shipping. Our expertise spans environmental action, biodiversity protection, safety at sea, and regional policy advocacy, ensuring we address the full spectrum of challenges facing global maritime trade.As a trusted authority, we leverage our deep industry knowledge to develop innovative solutions, maintain transparency, and build partnerships that drive meaningful impact across 150+ countries connected by liner shipping networks.
Services
Environmental Action
Safety at Sea
Secure Supply Chains
Regional Policy Advocacy
Biodiversity Protection
Details
- Year established: 2000
Highlights and features
- We represent 90% of global liner shipping capacity with decades of policy expertise.
- Our team includes former U.S. Coast Guard officers and maritime law experts.
- We pioneered the WSC Whale Chart to protect marine biodiversity globally.
- We lead industry efforts in IMO negotiations for sustainable shipping frameworks.
- Our regional offices ensure localized policy advocacy across four continents.
Services
Environmental Action
We develop and implement comprehensive environmental strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote ship recycling, and protect marine ecosystems. Our initiatives include the WSC Whale Chart to prevent ship strikes and underwater noise reduction programs. These efforts help members comply with evolving regulations while advancing industry-wide sustainability goals.
Safety at Sea
Our safety programs focus on protecting seafarers, cargo, and vessels through regulatory compliance and best practice adoption. We advocate for improved safety standards at the International Maritime Organization and provide technical expertise on vessel operations. This includes cybersecurity measures and emergency response protocols to mitigate maritime risks.
Secure Supply Chains
We work to maintain resilient global supply chains by addressing security threats and regulatory challenges. Our initiatives include combating illegal wildlife trafficking, preventing cargo theft, and ensuring compliance with international security frameworks. This helps maintain uninterrupted global trade flows essential for economic stability.
Regional Policy Advocacy
Our regional offices in Washington, Brussels, London, and Singapore engage with local policymakers to address jurisdiction-specific challenges. This includes navigating EU Green Deal requirements, U.S. maritime legislation, and Asian regulatory frameworks to ensure balanced, globally harmonized shipping policies.
Biodiversity Protection
We implement programs to prevent invasive species transfer, protect endangered marine species, and reduce shipping's ecological footprint. The WSC Whale Chart initiative helps vessels avoid high-risk areas for whale collisions, while our ballast water management guidelines minimize ecosystem disruptions from ship operations.
People
Joe Kramek
President and CEO
Former 28-year U.S. Coast Guard officer with maritime law expertise, leading WSC since 2024. Specializes in international maritime negotiations and cybersecurity policy development.
Lars Kjaer
Senior Vice President
IMO regulatory expert with 20+ years of shipping industry experience. Chairs ISO Technical Committee 104 for container standards and leads WSC's safety and security initiatives.
Bryan Wood-Thomas
Vice President, Environmental Policy
Former EPA environmental director with 15+ years shaping global shipping sustainability policies. Leads WSC's climate change mitigation strategies and IMO environmental negotiations.
James Corbett
Environmental Director, Europe
Leading expert on vessel emissions and EU Green Deal implementation. Holds PhD in environmental engineering and coordinates WSC's European sustainability initiatives.
George Charalampidis
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Maritime lawyer with 15+ years of IMO representation experience. Former International Chamber of Shipping official specializing in safety and legal compliance frameworks.
Questions
What is the World Shipping Council's primary role?
We represent global liner shipping companies, advocating for sustainable policies and industry standards that facilitate safe, secure, and efficient maritime trade.
How does WSC contribute to environmental protection?
We develop initiatives like the WSC Whale Chart, promote emissions reduction programs, and implement ballast water management guidelines to protect marine ecosystems.
What safety initiatives does WSC lead?
We advocate for improved maritime safety standards, provide cybersecurity guidance, and develop emergency response protocols to protect seafarers and cargo globally.
How does WSC engage with policymakers?
Our regional offices in Washington, Brussels, London, and Singapore work with governments to shape balanced maritime regulations aligned with local and global needs.
What percentage of global shipping does WSC represent?
Our members operate 90% of global liner shipping capacity, transporting approximately 60% of the value of global seaborne trade.
