The Malta International Shipowners Association (MISA) is a voluntary non-profit organisation established by a public deed in 2004. It is a main objective of MISA, declared in its statute, to foster and protect the interests of the association members, both nationally and internationally, while promoting the interests of the Malta international shipping industry and further the reputation of the Malta flag.
MISA was the initiative of a number of well known reputable and forward-looking owners of Malta registered ships, led by shipowners Nikolaos Pappadakis and John Lyras. This was in response to a wide conviction that it was essential for owners of Maltese-flag ships to have their own body that could effectively represent their views and interests at national, regional and international levels. The growth of the Malta international ship register to one of the largest flags in the world had evolved an imperative need among owners themselves for a national association international in nature.
The first general meeting in 2005 elected seven shipowners to the executive committee. Nikolaos Pappadakis was elected the first president serving until his retirement in 2014. The new executive committee also appointed Joseph Curmi as the first general secretary. As a senior civil servant, Curmi had kick-started the Malta International Ship Register and later served for several years as the managing director of the national shipping line.
Membership with MISA is open to companies, registered owners or bareboat charterers of Maltese ships. It is complimentary to registration under the Malta flag and clearly demonstrates a genuine link with Malta that goes well beyond economic or operational necessity.
Current membership represents a substantial amount of tonnage of various types of ships operated by reputable owners of high stature from several countries. It is a national association which is international in nature.
On formation, MISA immediately sought and attained corporate membership of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations. True to its dual international and national calling, MISA today is also an associate member of the International Chamber of Shipping and, corporate member of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Malta Maritime Forum and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (Malta Branch), and has a close relationship with the Malta Chamber of SMEs and the Malta Maritime Law Association.
MISA is immersed today in the vision of the future
MISA maintains close links with, the International Maritime Organisation, other industry bodies, national shipowners’ associations, national maritime administrations, particularly the Maltese Administration, and naturally, with the shipowners and operators themselves.
Through the membership of MISA with ECSA and ICS and the strong links with international maritime organisations, MISA gives its members a voice in Europe, a voice in international fora, a stronger voice within the industry and with the flag administration.
The association is administered by a secretariat based in Malta located within the building of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry of which MISA is a corporate member, symbolic of the active genuine link owners and operators of Maltese ships have with the industry and business community of the country whose flag their vessels fly.
Head of the secretariat is Lino Vassallo who for many years had been involved in maritime affairs on the official side including over two decades as head of the Maltese maritime administration including a long period representing Malta at the International Maritime Organisation and the European Maritime Safety Agency.
The number of issues raised at IMO and European Union institutions make it necessary for MISA, in liaison, with other bodies to assess their impact and articulate the shipowners’ views at the decision-making bodies of the Maltese administration and regional and international organisations. Since its very early days, MISA has been active in a number of fields in the interest of owners and operators of Malta-flag ships. MISA shares the vision of the international shipping industry prompted and supported by a wider vision: the global attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Global sustainable development is tied to a sustainable shipping and maritime industry. Shipping is the backbone of global trade, enabling the import and export of affordable goods on a scale that is not possible for any other transport mode. Global trade cannot exist successfully without an efficient shipping industry. Every shipment counts. However, safe, secure and clean shipping, and freedom of navigation are crucial. But there can be no shipping without the entrepreneurship of the shipowner, the knowledge and experience of the ship operator and, the high level of training, skills and commitment of the seafarers.
A blue economy and global sustainable development through environmentally friendly shipping have long been goals of the shipping industry.
MISA remains true to the raison d’être for its creation: to foster and protect the interests of the association members nationally, regionally and internationally while promoting the interests of the Malta’s maritime industry and further the reputation of the Malta flag through an industry body national and international in nature with the vision of a sustainable green shipping industry that can ensure a smooth worldwide flow of trade to the benefit of all the people of the world.
The vision that led to the initiative for the creation of the Malta International Shipowners Association has been vindicated. Nevertheless, MISA remains steady as she goes with its dynamic vision, true to its purpose, a mission pursued through an even stronger membership representative of the number of ships that fly the Malta flag and the diversity of the fleet and its ownership.
Heartened by the record of the past, MISA is immersed today in the vision of the future.
Lino Vassallo, head of secretariat, Malta International Ship Owners Association and MMF vice chairman.