The Palestinian Shippers' Council (PSC) was registered in 2006 with the PA as an autonomous, non-profit association to form a council that is capable of addressing the urgent needs of the shippers' community generated by the protracted conflict seeking to contribute in the Palestinian economic development and trade expansion through measures that promote trade efficiency and facilitation at all stages of the maritime and related transport logistical chain; and supporting the PA's reform and long-term trade development efforts. The PSC establishment was achieved through a technical cooperation project between: The European Commission Technical Assistance Office (ECTAO) for the West Bank and Gaza, which funded the project; The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which provided technical support to the project, and operated in the occupied territories under the umbrella of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); The Palestinian Trade Center (Paltrade), which provided local outreach and logistical support for the PSC during its start-up period. Today, the PSC is well established with a growing membership of 390 members. It is governed by an elected chairperson and an elected Board of Directors (BoD), who represent the General Assembly of regular (voting) members (shippers) and associate (non-voting) members (forwarders, transporters, trade-promotion and industrial or professional associations, etc.). Above all, the PSC has successfully established itself as a focal point for solving the problems reported to it by its members, with tangible benefits for the shipping community in terms of cost reductions and trade opportunities. The Council is also involved in ongoing efforts to facilitate Palestinian trade through/with Jordan and Egypt. PSC members, and the Palestinian shipping community at large, are benefiting from the PSC's training workshops on such issues as export and import documentation and supply chain management.
