Representatives from major global brands, maritime companies and US law enforcement agencies met in Washington DC today to determine how to work together to stop the maritime transportation of counterfeit goods.
The parties met as part of the on-going collaboration of signatories to the ‘Declaration of Intent to stop the Maritime transport of counterfeits’ (DOI)—a joint effort between key members of the global shipping industry, brand owners and law enforcement to work together to prevent the transport of counterfeit goods on shipping vessels.
“Our meeting with US law enforcement at the headquarters of the IPR Centre is hugely significant as it brings on-board a key stakeholder in the successful collaboration between brand owners, vessel operators and freight forwarders who have come together under the DOI,” said Sophie Peresson, Director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy initiative (BASCAP). “We have already achieved a lot developing best practices aimed at helping companies prevent the maritime shipment of counterfeits and which fit into companies’ supply chain procedures. Working with law enforcement will bring this work to another dimension.”
Steven McLoughlin, representing Philip Morris International and co-chair of the DOI signatories on the brand-owners side said: “Public private partnerships are key to successfully fight illicit trade globally and this event has allowed meaningful discussions with US law enforcement on joint operations and strategies for maritime operators, brand owners and the authorities to work together, including on effective risk profiling.”
Michael Jul Hansen, representing Maersk who is co-chair of the DOI signatories on the maritime operators side said: “We had very concrete and successful discussions with law enforcement, including officials from the Customs and Border Protection, Federal Maritime Commission and Homeland Security Investigations on how we can work together to prevent the transportation of counterfeits by ships and we are very pleased to be working with these extremely progressive agencies.”
The event in Washington also sees the addition of FONASBA – an association of ship brokers and agents – as a new maritime signatory to the DOI.
By adding their signature to the DOI, FONASBA will include a new level of the supply chain to the work being done by the signatory group to prevent criminals from exploiting the maritime supply chain to transport counterfeits.
Jonathan C Williams, General Manager of FONASBA said “FONASBA is very pleased and proud to be joining other maritime transport industry professional as signatories to the BASCAP Declaration of Intent to stop the maritime trade in counterfeit goods. FONASBA’s ship agent members in 62 countries play a key role in managing the ship/port interface and also the movement of cargo to and from the port. We are therefore keen to bring our expertise and knowledge of these vital links in the maritime transport chain to the discussions and actions within BASCAP and to add value to the work already being undertaken by the group.”
In line with ICC’s vision to enable business to secure peace, prosperity and opportunity for all, BASCAP works to raise awareness of the economic and social harm of counterfeiting and piracy which in 2017 rose to 3.3% of global trade despite a relative slowdown in overall global trade. Learn more about the work of BASCAP.