The Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) is a voluntary organisation of the shipowner associations of Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and the Federation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Associations (FASA), comprising shipping associations of ASEAN countries, consisting of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The objectives of the ASA are to act as a channel to convey Asian Shipowners’ voices to the international shipping community as well as to enhance and strengthen the ASA’s stature. At the same time, it is also a platform for all ASA members to liaise with one another and to help promote cooperation, amity and friendship amongst its members. Following the principle agreed at the first Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) meeting which was founded in April 1992 when its first meeting was held at Japan Shipping Club in Tokyo and ASA was formerly named, the venues for the annual meetings have been conducted on a rotational basis by the members from the North to South in geographical order. Between annual ASA meetings, the ongoing work is carried out by five Standing Committees: The Seafarers Committee (SC), the Ship Insurance and Liability Committee (SILC), the Safe Navigation and Environment Committee (SNEC), the Shipping Policy Committee (SPC), and the Ship Recycling Committee (SRC). It has been estimated that ASA shipowners and managers control and operate around 50% of the world's cargo carrying fleet.