The Consultative Shipping Group (CSG) is comprised of the shipping administrations of the governments of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The Commission of the European Communities also participates in the activities of the Group. The CSG has no Charter or statutes and it operates on a consensus basis with regard to relevant maritime and port issues. The Group considers issues on the basis of shared commitment to broad principles of free and fair competition, open market access and non-discrimination.

The CSG was formed in the 1960s as an informal grouping to pursue with the US international shipping issues of common interest to CSG countries. At that time, the Groups principle concerns related to the incompatibility between the US competition regime applied in US international trades and the corresponding regimes applying in CSG countries. Many of the CSGs concerns on the issues were satisfied by the passage of the US Shipping Act of 1984, which set up a non-discriminatory, consistent and predictable system of regulation of liner shipping. More recently, CSG countries have used the Group to raise issues with the US Administration and Congress on a variety of initiatives which they believe might adversely affect them.

The CSG and the US have also discussed topics of mutual concern and interests so as to facilitate greater cooperation in combating restrictive practices elsewhere in the world. A key factor in the history of the US-CSG dialogue has been a shared objective of ensuring open international shipping markets.  The CSG and US continue to meet on an ad hoc basis.

The work of the CSG is coordinated by the Danish Maritime Authority, where the current Chairman and the Secretariat are based, in close co-operation with colleagues in CSG capitals and their attaches in Washington D.C who collectively form the Cotton Club.

Presentations during CSG-US Dialogue June 2012:

Delivering Sustainability, Lee Kindberg, Director Environment & Sustainability, MARAD

Emission Control Areas and Implications for International Shipping, Brian Muehling, US EPA

Tanker Market Overview, Gavin Gretter, Poten & Partners

Ports and related infrastructure initiatives, Lauren Brand

MARAD Container Shipping Industry Overview, Robert Sappio

Notes on history