The International Chamber of Shipping is the world's principal shipping organisation, representing around 80% of the world’s merchant tonnage; through membership of national shipowners' associations, concerned with all regulatory, operational and legal issues.A major ICS activity is at the United Nations agency with responsibility for the safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment, the International Maritime Organization.ICS is unique in that unlike other international shipping trade associations it represents the global interests of all the different trades in the industry: bulk carrier operators, tanker operators, passenger ship operators and container liner trades, including shipowners and third party ship managers.ICS has consultative status with a number of intergovernmental bodies which have an impact on shipping, these include: the World Customs Organization, the International Telecommunications Union, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the World Meteorological Organization.