Maritime unions and employers promise they will come to a settlement on collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations this year, despite falling out badly in the previous round in Tokyo.

More than 5,600 ships are covered by the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) agreement, which runs out at the end of this year. Failure to reach a new accord would leave them without a recognised pay deal and potentially outside the terms of charter parties and the Maritime Labour Convention (2006).