Mr. Patrick Hicks receives BIC Award
November 12th, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Bureau International des Containers is pleased to announce that Mr. Patrick Hicks is this year’s recipient of the BIC Award.
The award was presented at the Container Owners Association (COA) members meeting, the day before the 2025 edition of Intermodal Europe. The award was presented by BIC Secretary General Douglas Owen, assisted by Board Member and former Chairman of the BIC, and Director and Secretary General of C.I.S.Co, Giordano Guerrini, along with BIC Board Member Philippe Berard.
Patrick Hicks has served as General Secretary of the Container Owners Association since 2005 – the year that organisation was established.
Patrick started his career at the P&O Steamship Company – and subsequently worked for Freightliner, the UK intermodal operator. He then moved into the container and transport publishing and events sector, where he launched a number of industry journals covering container shipping, cargo handling and chemical distribution.
In addition to the COA, Patrick also manages two other container industry associations – the International Tank Container Organisation (ITCO) and the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS). Through these roles, he has overseen a wide range of initiatives aimed at improving industry standards, promoting safety, encouraging technical innovation and promoting international collaboration among members.
“I’m truly honoured to receive the BIC 2025 Award,” said Mr. Hicks upon accepting the award. “My sincere thanks to the Bureau International des Containers, whose standards and technical innovation work sets the benchmark for our industry. This recognition reflects the commitment and encouragement of our members – and the support and dedication of my colleagues.”
The BIC Award is presented each year to an individual or organization for significant contribution to one of the “4 S’s” of BIC’s mission: standardization, safety, security, and sustainability in the container shipping industry. In selecting Mr. Hicks, the BIC’s Board cited Mr. Hicks’ work in support in all four areas.
Said BIC Secretary General Douglas Owen when presenting the award : “In order for progress to occur in any of these areas, people need to be able to come together. They need to stay informed, to find the right experts, link up with the right organizations. They need the possibility of collaborating in working groups, and they need professional associations to help keep the ball moving forward. Through his decades of work at the COA, ITCO and other organizations, Patrick has played an important role in advancing critical topics related to safety, security, standardization and sustainability.”
ENDS – 406 words
About BIC
The Bureau International des Containers (BIC) was founded under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce in 1933 as a neutral, non-profit, international organization. The BIC seeks to promote efficiency, safety, security, standardization, and sustainability in the container supply chain and today has over 3000 container owning and operating members in 128 countries. Publisher of the BIC Code Register since 1970, the BIC also operates the BoxTech Global Container Database (bic-boxtech.org), providing API-accessible equipment details to help improve efficiency and safety in the supply chain, as well as the BIC Facility Code Database, providing harmonized codes to identify over 17,000 container facilities in 190 countries. The BIC also operates the Global ACEP Database under the guidance of the IMO. The BIC holds official observer status as an NGO at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the World Customs Organization (WCO), and the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) and works closely with the ISO and other standards organizations. Learn more at www.bic-code.org.