Bulgaria Hosts 1st Black Sea FONASBA Conference

Bulgaria's Varna has hosted the first ever annual conference of the Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA) to take place in the Black Sea region.

Over 80 ship brokers from 50 countries have come together for the 41st annual conference of FONASBA taking place in the Golden Sands resort near Varna October 11-15, 2010.

"The international ship transport sector is overcoming the crisis. Each day we say signs that the shipping industry is getting beyond the unpleasant consequences of the recession," said FONASBA President, Tonny Paulsen, as cited by the Varna-based Cherno More daily.

"The Far East is the major exporter and importer of goods, and our business would not exist without that. That is why I was very happy to see during my recent visit to the region that there was no decline of freight turnover," Paulsen explained.

According to Captain Nikola Hristov, head of the Bulgarian Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (BASBA), Bulgaria's shipping sector is going through a rough time because ill-advised state policies.

FONASBA, founded in 1969, has a consultative status with the International Maritime Organization, UNCTAD, and the World Customs Organization as well as close associations with BIMCO, INTERCARGO, and INTERTANKO, among other shipping bodies.

Its 2011 conference will be held in Australia.