BIMCO is a membership-based non-governmental organisation which is the largest direct entry shipping organisation with over 1,900 members in more than 130 countries.
Their membership represents 60% of the world cargo fleet measured by tonnage. They are renowned and trusted worldwide as the chosen partner to provide leadership to the global shipping industry, particularly in relation to the production of standard contracts and clauses.
The production of such standard contracts and clauses involves a rigorous process whereby the matter is first considered by a sub-committee of the BIMCO Documentary Committee, that is comprised of experts appointed by BIMCO to represent the relevant aspects of the shipping industry.
That sub-committee reports periodically to the main Documentary Committee and considers and takes note of comments and observations that are made by the Documentary Committee before submitting the final form of the contract or clause to the Documentary Committee for approval and adoption.
The BIMCO Documentary Committee has representatives from all countries that are BIMCO members and has observers from most other international organisations that represent the shipping industry in one form or another.
We are honoured that Swansea’s Law School is represented on the Documentary Committee by Professor Richard Williams (one of the most senior members of the Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law) who is one of only two co-opted members that have been asked to be members because of their specialist knowledge. Professor Williams is also a member of the Sub-committee that has produced the new Gencon 2022.
The Gencon charterparty is BIMCO’s “flagship” dry voyage charter and has been the mainstay of the dry cargo market since 1922. The world of shipping has changed dramatically not only since 1922 but also since 1994 when the last version of the Gencon was published. Therefore, it is fitting that a new version should be promulgated at the centenary of its birth.
The new Gencon 2022 was adopted by the BIMCO Documentary Committee at their plenary session at the Savoy Hotel in London on the 18th May.