During the gala dinner hosted by the BIC (Bureau International des Containers) on 22 June in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on the occasion of the 5th UIC Global Rail Freight Conference GRFC, the 2016 BIC Award was presented to Mr Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, Director General of UIC, the worldwide organisation of railways, in recognition of almost 40 years of exemplary leadership in the international railway sector.
The BIC’s Board of Directors cited Mr Loubinoux’s contribution to the development of sustainable transport and low emission trade alternatives as a decisive factor, as well as his action in the framework of UIC aiming to promote and improve railway standardisation, security and safety.
According to the evaluation by the BIC’s Board of Directors, as mentioned in his address by Mr Armand Toubol, Honorary General Manager delegated for Freight at French Railways (SNCF), BIC’s Board Member: “Mr Loubinoux’s work has greatly influenced the way that the world’s railways have developed. The past year has seen Mr Loubinoux involved in the establishment of two international landmark agreements for sustainable development and climate change: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Goals (Sustainable Development Goals) and the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference in Paris. This involved working closely with the UN Secretary-General as a member of the UN High Level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport for the Five Year Action Agenda”.
In presenting the 2016 BIC Award, BIC’s Board Chairman Mr Giordano Bruno Guerrini stressed that “Mr Loubinoux has dedicated his working life to the sustainability of rail and intermodal trade. His commitment for promoting sustainability in transport, and increasing rail safety and security is a notable achievement and one that fully deserves the BIC Award”. BIC Chairman was accompanied at the ceremony of transmission of the 2016 BIC Award, by Mr Douglas Owen, Deputy Secretary General of the BIC.
Founded under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce in 1933 as a neutral, non-profit, international organisation, the BIC today has over 2100 members in 120 countries. The BIC has played an important role in the growth of containerisation, with its long-established and active role in the development of industry standards and its appointment by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1972 as the industry’s global container prefix registry – a registry further endorsed by international customs conventions. Since 2013 the BIC has also operated the Global ACEP Database, under the guidance of the IMO. The BIC is currently launching the BIC Technical Characteristics Database to help simplify compliance with SOLAS container weight requirements.
Today, the BIC code is the “international calling card” of nearly every container in international trade, allowing for proper identification and facilitating the crossing of borders without delay. With a mission to promote the safe, secure and sustainable expansion of intermodal transportation, the BIC enables professional dialogue amongst its members, standards bodies, governments and other industry organisations. The BIC holds official observer status as a NGO at both the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), and contributes regularly as an observer to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and other organisations.
