Archives for August 2021

JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT

on behalf of Container Owners Association, Global Shippers Forum, ICHCA International, TT Club, World Shipping Council

26 August 2021

In striving for greater awareness and usage of the CTU Code in order to improve safety in the intermodal supply chain, the Cargo Integrity Group (CIG) has published its Quick Guide to the Code, and its accompanying Container Packing Checklist, in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

The five organisations[1] that are collaborating in CIG are dedicated to achieving greater levels of safety, security and environmental performance within containerised global trade.  The production of a Quick Guide to the IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code), along with a Checklist of actions required of those packing cargo in freight containers, is pivotal to achieving safe and secure transport.

Now the Quick Guide and Checklist have been translated from the original English into each of the other United Nations official languages and are available for download HERE

 In announcing the news, Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director of insurer TT Club commented, “We must have higher standards of cargo integrity, if we are to arrest safety deficiencies in the supply chain – most vividly demonstrated by the too frequent occurrence of container ship fires.  This means those in warehouses and manufacturing facilities who pack and secure cargo in containers, as well as shippers and forwarders preparing documentation and declarations that describe the goods in detail, must take responsibility to ensure adherence to safety guidelines.  The CTU Code covers such roles and practices and one of the primary aims of CIG is to promote its universal use.  The Quick Guide has distilled the Code, our multi-lingual versions will help disseminate it.”

The Group is planning further translations.  This is to create a better understanding of the complex dangers that may result from poorly packed or mis-declared cargo.  The flexibility of containerised trade, and its efficiency in the movement of goods means individuals, many kilometres from the ocean, and with little knowledge of maritime operations, or indeed other modes of transport, are tasked with packing containers with a hugely varied range of goods.  Enabling access to safety guidelines, in their own language is crucial.

“If a product is packed in an incorrect way, it is usually because the packers have not been properly trained or informed about the potential risks,” commented Richard Steele, CEO of the association representing cargo handling organisations, ICHCA International. “The goods involved in initiating fires, stack collapses and vehicles roll-overs may not always be the more obvious hazardous chemicals.  Badly secured steel coils, poorly stowed barrels of any liquid or inappropriately packaged charcoal could all result in incidents of serious injury, or even fatalities as well as significant cargo and property damage.  Such understanding must surely be improved by a wider implementation of the CTU Code.” 

In addition to these efforts, the CIG partners are seeking changes to the relevant regulatory requirements in order to improve their effectiveness.  It hopes to encourage monitoring of packing performance through cargo screening and more effective container inspection regimes.  CIG’s overall aim is to work with other industry and governmental stakeholders to instil a better understanding of safe cargo packing and handling practices throughout international supply chains.

ICHCA International, the global cargo handling association, with the support of international freight transport insurer, is once more hosting the TT Club Innovation in Safety Award after a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The global supply chains and, in particular the cargo handling and transport operators that facilitate them, have been challenged as never before over the past year and a half.  In an environment of dynamic trade flow variation with mounting volumes in many areas, restricted capacity, congestion and disruption, it is vital to maintain vigilance in matters of safety. 

Both ICHCA International and TT Club have a fundamental commitment to risk reduction throughout the supply chain.  Their renewal of an award programme to profile and celebrate the work of those striving to find ways to mitigate such safety risks reflects the paramount aim within both the organisations’ philosophies.

Richard Steele is the newly appointed Technical Director of ICHCA.  “I am pleased that, early in my tenure, I am able to announce the re-introduction of this Innovation in Safety Award.  The world’s cargo handling industry functions, and its people live and operate, in stressful times,” he comments.  “At times like these when the exigencies of cargo flows, often peak to result in unparalleled congestion on berths and landside, that safety should be pre-eminent in our minds. This Award and the innovation it encourages will go some way to amplifying that message across the sector.”

The Award will be open to anyone – an individual, team or company – involved in cargo handling or logistics.  Entrants will be required to show that a product, idea, solution, process, scheme or other innovation has resulted in a demonstrable improvement to safety. The Award champions and celebrates the many companies and individuals around the world who are 100% dedicated to ‘making it safe’ every day. Equally, it acknowledges and fosters innovation to improve safety in cargo operations and logistics.

In announcing his organisation’s continued sponsorship of the Award, TT Club’s Risk Management Director Peregrine Storrs-Fox said, “A key part of TT’s mission and deliverable to its Members, and the industry as a whole, is to emphasise the critical nature of loss prevention, and to supply safety advice of the highest quality.  As such, TT remains dedicated to encouraging safety awareness and is delighted to remain intimately involved in the functioning of this Award. It aims to energise and bring visibility to any innovation in equipment, systems or processes that result in improvements in safety and we look forward to examining the wealth of ingenuity expressed in the entries this year.”

Details of entry criteria and deadlines will be announced at the beginning of September 2021.

About ICHCA – International Cargo Handling Coordination Association

Established in 1952, ICHCA International is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the safety, productivity and efficiency of cargo handling and movement worldwide. ICHCA’s privileged NGO status enables it to represent its members, and the cargo handling industry at large, in front of national and international agencies and regulatory bodies, while its Technical Panel provides best practice advice and develops publications on a wide range of practical cargo handling issues.
Operating through a series of national and regional chapters, including ICHCA Australia, ICHCA Japan as well as Correspondence and Working Groups, ICHCA provides a focal point for informing, educating, lobbying and networking to improve knowledge and best practice across the cargo handling chain.

About TT Club

TT Club is the established market-leading independent provider of mutual insurance and related risk management services to the international transport and logistics industry. TT Club’s primary objective is to help make the industry safer and more secure. Founded in 1968, the Club has more than 1100 Members, spanning container owners and operators, ports and terminals, and logistics companies, working across maritime, road, rail, and air. TT Club is renowned for its high-quality service, in-depth industry knowledge and enduring Member loyalty. It retains more than 93% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.

www.ttclub.com