BIMCO – The Baltic and International Maritime Council is the largest private shipping organisation in the world. It was started in Copenhagen Denmark in 1905 to improve co-operation in the NW European Freight Shipping industry. It now includes the shipowners of over 14000 Freight Vessels, which represents about 65 per cent of the overall world maritime freight capacity. BIMCO has always been a forum for the transfer of relevant practical shipping information, and Shipbrokers and Marine Insurance interests have been members from its early years.