This article by BIMCO Secretary General and CEO David Loosley was originally sent to the CEOs of all BIMCO member companies and organisations on 29 January 2026
One of the quieter but more consequential themes to emerge from conversations in Davos this year was not any single policy proposal or statement, but a shared recognition that the architecture of global cooperation is changing. The language of “multilateralism” was present throughout the week, but often with an undertone of uncertainty.
BIMCO does not take political positions, nor do we align ourselves with one worldview over another. Our role is (and has always been) to serve the interests of the entire shipping community, across geographies, trades and business models. We prioritise pragmatism, fairness and the efficient operation of global maritime commerce. It is from this practical vantage point that we reflect upon these recent developments.
What many leaders and executives acknowledged in Davos is that multilateralism, as it has been understood for much of the past half century, may no longer be the default setting. Dialogues remain open, but the assumption of convergence around common rules is weaker than it perhaps once was. Multilateralism may persist, but it is likely to do so in more fragmented, regional or issue-specific forms.
For shipping, this matters deeply. Ours is the connective tissue of the global economy. The industry functions best when rules are predictable, standards are widely shared and competition takes place on a level playing field. Fragmentation, whether of regulation, technical standards, sanctions frameworks or trade rules, introduces complexity, cost and uncertainty. It makes compliance more difficult and investment decisions harder to judge with confidence.
From a shipping perspective, a patchwork of divergent national or regional approaches is rarely efficient. While geopolitical realities may drive differentiation in policy, BIMCO’s view is that excessive fragmentation is not in the best interests of maritime trade – or the global economy more broadly.
This is not an argument for any particular political outcome. It is a business reality. Ships trade globally; contracts cross borders daily; crewing, insurance, finance and operations depend on interoperability. Even incremental divergence, multiplied across dozens of jurisdictions, quickly becomes material.
What was interesting in Davos was how openly this was discussed. Not only by policymakers, but by executives across sectors that depend on cross border flows. There was a practical recognition that dialogue, while harder, is more necessary. And not because consensus is guaranteed, but because complexity unmanaged becomes a cost borne by business and consumers alike.
In this environment, BIMCO’s role remains both relevant and, arguably, more important than ever. For more than a century, we have existed to turn complexity into clarity: translating regulatory developments into workable contractual solutions; providing neutral platforms where industry participants can agree standard terms; and offering guidance that reflects operational reality rather than theoretical ideals.
We do not design policy. We adapt shipping to the world as it is, not as it might ideally be. We do, however, provide practical, technical and operational insight to regulators during the policy-making process. Whether global cooperation tightens again or continues to evolve in more fragmented forms, our task is the same: to help the industry navigate change with certainty, fairness, regulatory compliance and legal consistency.
History suggests that shipping has always operated amid shifting geopolitical currents. What endures is the need for trusted advice and industry standards that are transparent and operationally robust. This is the space BIMCO occupies, and will continue to occupy, on behalf of our members.
Whatever shape multilateralism takes in the years ahead, shipping will remain global in practice. BIMCO stands ready to assist the industry through the challenges that follow, not by taking sides, but by helping ensure that global trade can continue to function effectively in a more complex world.