Summit a first step toward global standards alignment
EDGEWATER, Md. – Over 70 participants representing 11 countries recently gathered in Annapolis, Md., to attend the first International Marine Standards Summit, the American Boat and Yacht Council, which hosted the summit, said in a statement yesterday.
The events, which was held in conjunction with the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 188 Plenary Session, included standards developers and industry representatives from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
They assembled to hear presentations from marine professionals and government representatives, and to discuss timely and important issues surrounding boating safety, co-recognition, marine standards harmonization and marine product imports/exports.
As a result of the summit, a cooperative atmosphere and tone was set for making progress toward globally harmonizing and co-recognizing marine standards, said ABYC. Committees formed to address practical steps needed to:
These committees will next meet face-to-face at the Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam in November 2006.
“The summit allowed standards writers and users from around the world an opportunity to better understand the real world challenges each other are experiencing,” said Craig Scholten, director of product compliance for Genmar. “The need to develop ‘internationally recognized’ standards is necessary for component and boat builders competing in the global market place. The idea of being able to design, test and certify to a single source or recognized set of requirements would increase the level of consistent product compliance with a major savings in time and dollars.”
“[The summit] could not be more timely,” said Tony Rice, International Council of Marine Industry Associations secretary general. “The interest shown in this event has been notable. I support achieving mutual recognition, or reciprocity and where possible harmonization if the demand and will power exists, and I am very willing to support a review of both the ISO and ABYC standards to tabulate their differences as the first step in this process.”
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