On 11^th November, the President of the Bulgarian Ship Suppliers Association, Mr. Alexander Alexandrov, took part in the meeting of the European Association of Ship Suppliers - OCEAN and the meeting of the OCEAN Customs Questions Working Group. Both meetings were held in Athens during the ISSA 62^nd Annual Convention. Their organization together with the Convention provided good opportunities for OCEAN members to meet with ISSA members and discuss the important role of OCEAN and the European supply in general for the development of the sector on a global scale.

During the meetings the OCEAN’s Online Customs Guide was presented. The association also introduced other upgrades of the OCEAN website, aimed at helping European ship supply companies. The reports of the OCEAN Working Group and the OCEAN General Secretary, followed by a review of the progress in customs’, veterinary and VAT matters, have been outlined to the members of the Association. Other important issues, discussed during the event, were the results from OCEAN’s meetings with the European Commission's special working group on Brexit; the European Ports Forum; and the meeting with the European Commission's General Directorate for Mobility and Transport, which sought to alleviate the administrative burdens by simplifying formalities and procedures. The President of the BSSA, Mr. Alexandrov, expressed his position: "OCEAN is the voice of the sector in front of the European Commission. The activity of the Association is of key significance for improving the conditions and the development of the ship supply sector in the European ports".