by Hans | May 2nd, 2011
From 27th to 29th April, 2011 the “European Tugowners Association” (ETA) held its 48th Annual General Meeting in Antalya/Turkey. With 120 participants from more than 15 European countries, the AGM as well as the succeeding “Social Day” were very well attended. The meeting was hosted by Turkish tug-builder and -operator Sanmar and took place in the Rixos Premium Resort in Belek close to Antalya.
Besides general affairs in relation to the European towage industry, the General Assembly discussed the recently published guidelines on safer towage, developed by an ETA working group together with the “European Maritime Pilots’ Association” (EMPA). This Joint Paper highlights technical safety issues on board of seagoing ships which have a general impact on the towage industry. Missing SWL-markings on bollards, insufficient strength of bollards on board of seagoing ships which cannot sustain bollard-pulls of today’s modern and strong tugboats, unsuitable or even missing fairleads or missing marks for safe push points on ships’ hulls are only a few concerns described in this Joint Paper. ETA/EMPA is presently circulating this paper within the maritime industry such as ship designers, shipyards, classification societies, insurers etc. During the subsequent conference, speakers from P&I / H&M insurer British Marine as well as classification society Det Norske Veritas commented on this Joint Paper from their perspectives and promised support in their respective circles.
From left to right past Chairman Joerg Mainzer, General Secretary Dr.Hugo Callens and the new Chairman Richard Knight (Photo: Joerg Mainzer)
During this years’ meeting the Chairmanship changed as per constitutional routine. New ETA-Chairman for the next two years is Richard Knight of the J.P.Knight Group in Chatham/England. He succeeded previous Chairman Joerg Mainzer of Fairplay Towage, Hamburg/Germany. Torsten Holst Pedersen of Svitzer Scandinavia has been elected Deputy Chairman.
Following the Annual Meeting, host Sanmar organized a boat trip for all attendees which started in Antalya’s historic marina. Sanmar even ordered their tug ULUPINAR XI, stationed in Mersin, to sail 200 nm to Antalya to accompany the conference participants on their boat trip and to “show-off” with a much applauded tug-ballet. Upon leaving the old Antalya port the ETA-members witnessed a local Turkish salvage company’s wreck removal efforts of a cargo-ship which ended up on the rocks of Antalya in a severe gale in autumn 2010.
ETA was established in 1963 in London. Today it comprises 80 members from 20 European countries with more than 800 registered tugboats. ETA understands itself as the voice of the European towage industry especially in EU-circles in Brussels. The association is managed by Secretary General Dr. Hugo Callens with an own office in Brussels/Belgium. (www.eurotugowners.com)
The ETA attendees again thank Sanmar for their unrivalled hospitality.
Press Release European Tugowners Association (ETA)
