CPA Bulletin

www.cpa.uk.net CPA Bulletin > May 2022 33 ESTA: 2 Italy’s Fabio Belli confirmed as new ESTA President in unanimous vote Fabio Belli, CEO of Italian heavy lifting and transport company Fagioli, has been confirmed as the new president of ESTA. Belli was proposed for the role by the ESTA Board in February and the decision was confirmed by a unanimous vote of the association’s ruling General Assembly at its meeting in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, on 17th March 2022. He succeeds David Collett, Managing Director of UK company Collett & Sons, who had served three, three-year presidential terms, the maximum allowed under ESTA’s constitution. Collett will remain an ESTA Board member. Collett’s period in office is regarded as highly successful during which time ESTA has become increasingly influential with governments, regulators and the European Commission, promoting issues such as safety and the harmonization of Europe’s rules and regulations. Fabio Belli said: “I am really honoured to be elected the new ESTA President. Recent tragic events tell us that as Europeans we are obliged to follow a common path, we do not have an alternative. “Our shared values and the desire for a common market of standards lead to the founding of ESTA in 1976. We have to follow this path, even more strongly than before, bringing more European companies and people along with us, promoting cooperation, safety, sustainability and an obsession for quality.” Belgian authorities recognise ECOL ESTA’s European Crane Operators Licence project continues to make progress with Belgium agreeing to recognise the ECOL licence and Denmark close to following suit. Positive talks are also ongoing with Spain, although ECOL supporters warn that an agreement with the authorities there is not currently imminent. The positive noises from Denmark follow a meeting at the end of last year between ECOL Supervisory Board members Klaus Meissner and Ton Klijn and senior officials from the Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), the country’s largest business and employers’ organisation. Four newmembers for ESTA Four new members have joined ESTA as the industry emerges from the restrictions caused by the Covid pandemic. Luxembourg-based Luxtrailers has joined ESTA as a special member, the first time that the country has been represented in ESTA. This brings the total number of countries represented to 25. Three further companies, Fibremax, Prangl and Becht have joined as affiliate members. Prangl is an Austrian-headquartered international lifting, transport and logistics company, Becht is an engineering consulting firm based in New Jersey, USA, and FibreMax produces lightweight, precision synthetic cables in Joure, the Netherlands. ESTA has created a new expert working group to investigate setting up a Europe-wide system of training for SPMT operators, following informal talks with industry leaders. The group will also discuss updating ESTA’s 2016 SPMT Best Practice Guide to include expanded information on trailer maintenance. Concern has been growing in the industry at the lack of recognised training qualifications and the need to improve safety standards as the SPMT market grows. Many of the biggest European heavy and abnormal transport companies have expressed support for ESTA’s move. They include Collett, Cometto, Fagioli, Mammoet, Scheuerle, Sarens, Technip and Wagenborg Nedlift. ESTA Director Ton Klijn said: “It has been increasingly clear that SPMT training and operational standards need to be improved, both for reasons of project management efficiency as well as safety.” ESTA’s SPMT best practice guide was originally intended to help address the problem of trailers occasionally tipping over, even though the existing operating rules and stability calculations had been followed. ESTA pressing for improved SPMT training and maintenance