Transport communications

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“K” LINE selected as a Constituent of FTSE4Good Index Series and FTSE Blossom Japan Index

August 9, 2022 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) has been selected as a constituent of the “FTSE4Good Index Series”, one of the leading global indices for ESG investing, for the first time in two years, and “FTSE Blossom Japan Index” for six years in a row since the index was launched in 2017.

Created by the global index provider FTSE Russell (the trading name of FTSE International Limited and Frank Russell Company), the FTSE4Good Index Series is designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. (1,093 companies selected from developed countries, including 224 Japanese companies, and 566 companies from emerging countries). The FTSE4Good indices are used by a wide variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds and other products.

On the other hand, FTSE Blossom Japan Index reflects the performance of Japanese companies that demonstrate strong ESG practices (253 companies selected out of 1,395 constituents of FTSE Japan All Cap Index). This index has been adopted as a benchmark of ESG investing by Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) in Japan. 

“K” LINE has been addressing sustainability as a priority issue of its corporate management, and advancing various initiatives to respond flexibly to various needs. These include not only changing customer needs, but also the needs of nations and the global community, especially for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and measures to mitigate climate change. Going forward, “K” LINE will continue to pursue conservation of the global environment while helping to realize a sustainable society through proactive sustainability efforts. We will also remain steadfast in our pursuit of growth opportunities and greater corporate value.

Filed Under: "K" Line

TT Club announces new CFO appointment

August 9, 2022 by

With effect from 1 August 2022, EeLain Ong has taken over as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of international freight transport and logistics insurer TT Club. Appointed in April 2022, Ong has shadowed the outgoing CFO Julian Chowdhury in his position for the intervening months prior to his retirement.

As CFO of the well-established specialist mutual insurer, Ong’s challenges will be to achieve business plan profit targets via operational efficiencies focussed on simplifying and automating processes along the insurance value chain.

In making the announcement Charles Fenton, CEO of TT Club comments, “TT is fortunate to have in EeLain someone of vast and varied experience so suited to the Club’s structure and nature of its business. Over her 27 year career she has held leadership positions within finance, treasury and tax at re/insurance companies, captives, mutuals, start-ups and Lloyd’s syndicates, and across multiple jurisdictions globally. She replaces a true professional in Chowdhury, who we thank for his long and tireless service of almost 30 years. We wish him a happy and fulfilling retirement.”

Ong is a graduate of Hull University and a Chartered Accountant (FCA). In addition to roles at re/insurance providers, she also had experiences as a regulator,  an auditor, and an M&A corporate financier – all of which has exposed her to structuring finite, legacy and traditional risk transfer deals within the realms of financial governance.

“I see the strength of TT as a reliable and expert risk management provider for organisations in the global supply chain sector which is continually undergoing disruption.  My role in part will be to help maintain TT’s agility to adapt to this changing trade environment, yet remain consistent in delivering renown service and claims efficiency,” says Ong.

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 1400 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 97% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.

https://www.ttclub.com

Filed Under: TT Club

Evergreen Marine Obtains Double Certification for its Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory

August 8, 2022 by

In order to implement the company’s environmental protection policy and carbon reduction goals, Evergreen Marine Corp. has completed a systematic inspection and calculation of greenhouse gas emission inventories for its business operations, including its global operating fleet, office buildings and container terminals in Taiwan. The methodology and results of the survey were recently certified by BSI (British Standards Institution) in compliance with ISO14064-1:2018 and the GHG Protocol in late July.

In view of the impact caused by climate change and the international community’s concerns on sustainability issues, governments around the world have proposed carbon reduction targets. The FSC (Financial Supervisory Commission) in Taiwan also launched its “Sustainable Development Roadmap for Listed Companies” in March this year, requiring companies to disclose their greenhouse gas emission inventories in stages.  Listed companies such as Evergreen Marine, with capital of more than NTD 10 billion must complete the survey of its greenhouse gas emission sources and inventories next year (2023), and obtain third-party verification by 2024. In addition, surveys and verification of its subsidiaries must be completed in 2025 and 2027, respectively.

To comply with relevant regulations and meet various information needs about greenhouse gas emission of customers and other stakeholders, Evergreen Marine established a task force responsible for the inspection of its greenhouse gas inventory and the design of a carbon footprint platform. Following a thorough inspection and verification of its greenhouse gas emissions for all business operations, the company simultaneously obtained the two international environmental protection standard certificates of ISO14064-1:2018 and GHG Protocol in July, ahead of the schedules required by the competent authorities.

Evergreen regards these measures as part of its responsibility as a “Guardian of the Green Earth”. The company is using advanced technologies to build a fleet of eco-friendly vessels, which comply with the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) regulations and enable best fuel efficiency, and continues to replace old ships with new ones. At present, 80% of ships in its operating fleet are less than ten years old. This young fleet allows the carrier to operate with maximum efficiency in providing transportation service with lower energy consumption. 

Contributing to this efficiency, Evergreen’s investment in the 7th Container Center in Kaohsiung is expected to come to fruition with operations beginning in the 2nd half of next year.  The terminal will gradually replace current operations in the separated transit hubs of the fourth and fifth container centers located in different parts of the port. Consolidation of operations at the brand new transit hub will effectively reduce the shunting of transshipments between the two terminals and eliminate the carbon emissions arising from such transportation.

In order to fulfill its commitment to green shipping and sustainable operation, Evergreen has set proactive carbon reduction targets based on its levels of carbon emissions in 2008, including a 50% reduction of CO2 emission rate (g/TEU-km) by 2030; a 70% reduction in the emission rate by 2050, and a 50% reduction in overall emission volumes by 2050.

In looking to the future, Evergreen will continue to implement various environmental protection measures across its operations, periodically report its emission inventory, and monitor the progress of its carbon reduction efforts, with an aim to reach carbon neutral operation by 2050. If there are further advances in shipping technology and clean energy development in the future, Evergreen will also be committed to achieving its vision of realizing zero carbon emissions.

Filed Under: Evergreen Line

GEODIS – A very solid performance in the first half of 2022 in a turbulent global context

July 29, 2022 by
  • Growth of 34% in revenues at €6,748 million, at constant exchange rates and scope of consolidation, compared to the first half of 2021
  • A sharp rise in EBIT[1]: an improvement of 53% to €309 million compared to the first half of 2021, reflecting the dynamism of the business and strict cost control in an inflationary environment
  • GEODIS remains in control of its debt (financial leverage close to 1x[2])
  • GEODIS has exceeded the goals of its Ambition 2023 plan, thereby demonstrating the relevance of its business model
  • GEODIS has confirmed its ambition for growth in an uncertain environment

Commenting on the first half results for 2022, Marie-Christine Lombard, CEO of GEODIS, said:

“In a turbulent global context, GEODIS has confirmed its capacity to generate profitable growth. In the first half of 2022, the Group achieved revenues of €6,748 million, an increase of 34% by comparison with the previous year. 

These good results demonstrate the relevance of our growth model and allow us to press ahead with our strategy of targeted acquisitions as we seek to build a global, integrated network of transport and logistics hubs.

I would like to thank our customers for their confidence, and our teams for their ability to implement solutions to deal with the disruptions that have affected the global supply chain.”

The first six months of 2022 reflect the success of GEODIS’s transformation and the relevance of its integrated growth model

  • A sharp rise in revenues and profitability

Revenues showed solid growth of 34% at €6,748 million, driven by all activities and in particular by Freight Forwarding.

This sustained increase was achieved in a context of extreme tension in maritime and air transport, reflected in high freight rates and shrinking market volumes. In this context, GEODIS continues to grow and gain market share.

Contract Logistics continues its rapid development, particularly in the United States, because of the growth in e-Commerce.

The Road Transport Line of Business enjoyed a good level of volumes in France and other countries.

The Distribution & Express Line of Business continues to be driven by the development of e-Commerce in France.

Overall, this dynamic growth resulted in a significant increase in profitability, with EBIT increasing by 52% to €309 million and EBITDA standing at €598 million.

  • An ongoing strategy of targeted acquisitions

GEODIS remains committed to building a comprehensive range of services for managing its customers’ flows, with the construction of a global and integrated network of transport and logistics hubs.

In this perspective, the acquisitions in 2021 of PEKAES in Poland and of Gandon Transports and Transports Perrier in France have been followed by that of Keppel Logistics, which will strengthen GEODIS’s presence in the contract logistics sector in Asia-Pacific, more particularly in Singapore.

GEODIS, fully committed to ESG initiatives

  • A greener fleet

With the ambition of achieving a 30% reduction in its CO2 emissions by 2030 (compared to 2017), GEODIS is pressing ahead with the greening of its fleets of vehicles.

An additional 120 natural gas vehicles have been ordered, bringing the number of trucks ordered powered by bio-CNG (compressed natural gas) for last-mile deliveries in city centers to 320. In addition to a reduction of up to 80% in CO2 emissions compared to a Euro VI-E diesel vehicle, emissions of both particulates and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are as much as 85% lower.

Meanwhile, GEODIS has teamed up with Renault Trucks to develop a new electric truck specially designed for urban logistics.

  • Rail-route solutions

A leading player in multimodal transport, GEODIS continues to expand its network in Europe with a new rail line connecting France and Italy. 

  • A prize for environmental performance

At the Voluntary Commitments to the Environment Awards 2022, the Group’s Road Transport Line of Business won a trophy for the best progress and was praised by ADEME (the French environmental and energy management agency) for its commitment to reducing its CO2 emissions.

  • Changes to the Group’s governance include the appointment of three new members to the Executive Committee: Celeste Thomasson, as the Group’s General Counsel with responsibility for Legal Affairs, Insurance, Compliance and Audit; Pascale Dubois, as Executive Vice President, Group Communications and Brand; and Laurent Melaine, as the Group’s Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer. 

GEODIS is focused on maintaining its position in the context of inflation and economic slowdown. The group’s short-term outlook remains positive.

The performance of GEODIS operations is good across all Lines of Business and geographical sectors. Nonetheless, the level of macro-economic uncertainty remains high, with the repercussions of the public health crisis in China, inflationary trends, and significant pressure on maritime capacities, among other phenomena.

Link to accompanying image : https://geodis.keepeek.com/b859xVaLU

GEODIS – www.geodis.com 

GEODIS is a global leading transport and logistics provider recognized for its commitment to helping clients overcome their logistical constraints. GEODIS’ growth-focused offerings (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport), coupled with the company’s truly global reach thanks to a global network spanning nearly 170 countries, is reflected by its top business rankings: no. 1 in France and no. 7 worldwide. GEODIS employs over 44,000 people globally and generated €10.9 billion in revenue in 2021.

[1] Post-IFRS 16 EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes) consists of revenues and related income minus operating expenditure.

[2] Net financial debt / EBITDA over the past 12 months (excluding IFRS 16).

Filed Under: GEODIS

JGC CORPORATION and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. Joins CCS Study in Malaysia

July 29, 2022 by

~ Aiming for joint contribution to CO2 reduction in Malaysia and Asia by three Japanese companies ~

Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX) has signed an MOU with JGC CORPORATION (JGC), and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) on a joint study for Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) in Malaysia (hereinafter the “Joint Study”, (Note1). JAPEX had earlier signed an MOU with Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), a global energy and solutions partner and ranked amongst the largest corporations in Fortune Global 500 in January 2022.

In the Joint Study, investigations of suitable sites for CO2 storage in Malaysia and their technical evaluations are being conducted, aiming to be completed in 20 months. This includes consideration of methods to capture and transport CO2 from the PETRONAS LNG Complex located in Bintulu, Sarawak and from outside Malaysia as a future possibility. To promote the conceptual studies conducted by PETRONAS and JAPEX, the Joint Study welcomes two companies, JGC and “K” LINE which specializes in plant engineering and marine energy transportation as well as offshore operation.

PETRONAS along with JAPEX, JGC, and “K” LINE, will collaborate in evaluating CO2 storage technologies such as calculation of storage capacity and optimal storage methods, optimal capture and transportation options including estimation of emissions and capture volumes, as well as monitoring the method of CO2 storage underground.  The economic evaluation, study of feasible business schemes, and research of applicable regulations will be done in the Joint Study.

JAPEX, JGC, and “K” LINE will contribute in realizing a decarbonized society in Asia targeted by Asia Energy Transition Initiative (AETI)(Note2)

(Note1) Released from JAPEX on January 28th,2022:

JAPEX Agreed with PETRONAS on CCS Joint Study in Malaysia

https://www.japex.co.jp/en/news/detail/20220128_01/

(Note2) The Japanese Government’s initiative announced in May 2021, aims to simultaneously achieve sustainable economic growth and carbon neutrality in Asia.

Filed Under: "K" Line

The World’s First CO2 Capture Plant on Vessel “CC-OCEAN” Project Wins Marine Engineering of the Year 2021

July 25, 2022 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) has recently received an award “Marine Engineering of the Year 2021” from the Japan Institute of Marine Engineering for the “CC-OCEAN” project, jointly conducted with Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (Mitsubishi Shipbuilding) and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (“ClassNK”) for the verification of CO2 capture plant onboard as part of the “Research and Development for advancing marine resources technologies” (Note 1).

The award ceremony was held on 22nd July at the “KAIUN CLUB” in Chiyoda ward, Tokyo in recognition of the world’s first CO2 capture plant on vessel that successfully separated and captured CO2 from exhaust gas emitted from a ship and achieved the captured CO2 purity of more than 99.9%, which is in line with the planned performance.

Marine Engineering of the Year 2021 Award Ceremony
From left: Mr. Toyohisa Nakano (Executive Officer, “K” LINE)
Dr. Toshiyuki Shigemi (Senior Executive Vice President, Class NK)
Mr. Michitomo Iwashita (Managing Executive Officer, “K” LINE)
Mr. Toru Kitamura (President & CEO, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.)
Mr. Manabu Kawakado (Executive Director & CTO, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.)
Mr. Tetsuya Kinoshita (President of Japan Institute of Marine Engineering)
This award is presented to outstanding technologies in the fields of marine engines and equipment, and related marine engineering, with the aim of publicizing the advanced and important nature of these technologies both domestically and internationally, and of further developing related academic and industrial technologies.

The “CC-OCEAN” project, which was selected for the award, is based on the CO2 capture plant for on-shore converted for off-shore use, and installed on board a coal carrier “CORONA UTILITY”, operated by “K” LINE for Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc., and conducted a demonstration test at sea for 6 months.

As a result, both the CO2 capture rate, quantity, and purity were as planned, and demonstrated that CO2 can be captured from the exhaust gas from marine engines, where environmental conditions are different from those on-shore.

挿絵 が含まれている画像 自動的に生成された説明
＊The design of the logo is from initials of Carbon Capture on the Ocean and represents　capturing molecular of carbon dioxide inside.

In order to strengthen the initiatives toward global climate change countermeasures, based on the “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 (Note 2), we will put its full effort into decarbonization of the “K” LINE and supporting decarbonization of society with the aim of achieving a sustainable society and enhance corporate value.

(Note 1)

Announced on 31-Aug 2020: “CC-Ocean” (Carbon Capture on the Ocean) project

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/csr/csr-5587043701830807195/main/0/link/200831EN%20.pdf

Announced on 5-Aug 2021: Launch of the “CC-OCEAN” project demonstration

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/csr/csr7601431474845700352/main/0/link/210805EN.pdf

Announced on 20-Oct 2021: Successfully separated and captured CO2 from exhaust gas in World’s First CO2 Capture Plant on Vessel

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/news/csr/csr818532238088767329/main/0/link/211020EN.pdf

(Note 2)  Released on November 4th, 2021：

“K” LINE has revised our environmental target in our long-term environmental guideline “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 -Blue Seas for the Future-, which we had released the revised version in November 2021, in order to strengthen the initiatives toward global climate change countermeasures and has set our new target for 2050 as “The Challenge of Achieving Net -Zero GHG Emissions”.

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/csr/environment/management.html#002

Filed Under: "K" Line

“K” LINE “CENTURY HIGHWAY GREEN” Wins Large Cargo Ship Sector Award of “Ship of the Year 2021”

July 25, 2022 by

“CENTURY HIGHWAY GREEN” a 7,080RT large-scale LNG fueled car carrier operated by Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE), has been selected as large cargo ship sector award of “Ship of the Year 2021” given by The Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers. The award ceremony was held on July 22nd, 2022.

“Ship of the Year” has been annually awarded to innovative vessels built in japan in the past year from technical, artistic, and social point of view. The award was established in 1990 and this year is the 32nd anniversary.

“CENTURY HIGHWAY GREEN”

“CENTURY HIGHWAY GREEN” is expected to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a greenhouse gas (GHG) by 25% to 30%, emissions of sulfur oxides (SOx), which cause air pollution, by almost 100%, and emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 80% to 90% with the use of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) in addition to the use of LNG fuel, compared to conventional vessels using heavy fuel oil. High pressured LNG fueled main engine which realize the reduction of methane slip (emission of unburned gas) was first adopted as a car carrier built in Japanese shipyard. In addition, high speed communication infrastructure was installed in this vessel as a digital flagship, which realize to apply the remote survey. It was evaluated that the vessel has latest environmental friendliness, digital technology, and an excellent exterior design in “Ship of The Year 2021”

Ship of the Year 2021 Award Ceremony
From left :
Mr. Kenji Kaneshige, Manager of NIHON SHIPYARD CO., LTD.,
Mr. Yoshihiro Nagaoka, Executive Officer of IMABARI SHIPBUILDING CO., LTD.,
Mr. Michitomo Iwashita, Managing Executive Officer of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Mr. Toyohisa Nakano, Executive Officer of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Mr. Masahiko Fujikubo, President of The Japan Society of Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers)

“K” LINE formulated “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 (Note1), which set forth our long-term goals for 2050. The launch of CENTURY HIGHWAY GREEN realizing transportation with a low environmental impact is an important milestone for achieving “improvement of CO2 emission efficiency by 50%” as our 2030 target. In addition to flexibly and proactively responding to customer needs, “K” LINE will continuously strive to enhance our corporate value by contributing to the sustainable development of the society and global environment through active collaborations on Decarbonization based on “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050.

Note1）Released on November 4th, 2021：

“K” LINE has revised our environmental target in our long-term environmental guideline “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050 -Blue Seas for the Future-, which we had released the revised version in November 2021, in order to strengthen the initiatives toward global climate change countermeasures and has set our new target for 2050 as “The Challenge of Achieving Net -Zero GHG Emissions”.

https://www.kline.co.jp/en/csr/environment/management.html#002

Filed Under: "K" Line

Container shipping customers and service suppliers call for immediate start to review of competition rules

July 25, 2022 by

European and international business organisations are urging the European Commission to start an immediate review of its competition regulations for container shipping.

Brussels, 22 July 2022 – Ten trade organisations, representing the owners and forwarders of cargo, port terminal operators and other parts of the supply chain dependent on container shipping, are demanding an immediate start to the review of European Union’s Consortia Block Exemption Regulation for the container shipping industry.

The Regulation exempts container shipping lines from many of the checks and balances of EU competition law and permits them to exchange commercially-sensitive information to manage the number and size of ships deployed and the frequency and timing of sailings on trade routes around the world.

European businesses and other parties in the supply chain have suffered huge disruption to the movement of goods by container shipping since the Regulation was last renewed in April 2020, with many sailings being cancelled or diverted to other ports, and ports being bypassed (‘skipped’) at short notice. At the same time shipping rates have more than quadrupled on many routes and continue to remain 3 to 4 times higher than in 2019 before the pandemic.

The effects of lockdowns on the production of goods and the shifts in demand due to the effects of the Covid pandemic were certainly significant. But the ability of the shipping industry to collectively manage these impacts, and at the same generate profits totalling over $186 billion in 2021, at the expense of the rest of the supply chain, and ultimately Europe’s consumers, demonstrate that something is wrong. The benefits of the exemptions from general competition law enjoyed by the shipping lines are not being shared fairly between the lines and the rest of the economy, and this in itself constitutes a compelling reason why the Block Exemption should be reviewed urgently.

In their letter to the Commission the signatories point to the revelations and recommendations of investigations conducted in the United States by the Federal Maritime Commission, resulting in May in the passing of a new Ocean Shipping Reform Act, addressing many of the grievances of users and services suppliers to the container shipping lines.

The Regulation’s review will allow all interested parties to submit evidence and arguments as to how the Commission should act to ensure the deep-sea container shipping market operates in a way that is fair and transparent to all parties in the maritime supply chain. This should include consideration of new measures and mechanisms and should allow sufficient time for these to be considered and implemented before the expiry of the current regulation in April 2024.

Filed Under: Global Shippers Forum

“K” Line : Construction of Electric Tugboat powered by battery

July 22, 2022 by

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” LINE) is pleased to announce that our group company, SEAGATE CORPORATION CO., LTD.(SGC), will build new electric tugboat powered by battery.

The new Tugboat is equipped with a propulsion system running on “Hybrid EV system”. It has electric motor as a main power source running by large capacity lithium-ion battery charged by land charger. It also equipped generator as the auxiliary power source.

The Tugboat will be first Tugboat which has electric motor as a main power source in Tokuyama and will be deployed in the first half of 2025 to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in Tokuyama area.

In the future, it will be possible to achieve zero emissions by replacing the fuel for the generator with zero emission energy.

In last November, “K” LINE has revised a part of our long term environmental guideline “K” LINE Environmental Vision 2050” (Note 2) and set our new target for 2050 as “The challenge of Achieving Net-Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions”. While public attention to the greenhouse gas emissions including from shipping is becoming increasing, “K” LINE will strive to enhance our corporate value by contributing to the sustainable development of the economy and society, while protecting the environment through our business activities.

Photo image for Hybrid EV Tugboat
Hybrid EV System Layout
Filed Under: "K" Line

TT Club eager to make pest control workshop a collaborative success

July 21, 2022 by

Seaborne invasive pests have potentially devastating consequences for agriculture and the natural environment.  TT Club believes all involved in intermodal cargo movements need to be aware of their responsibilities to tighten biosecurity. An IPPC* Workshop, free to all interested parties takes place in London (19-20 September).   Industry representatives must register by 31st July

London, 21st July 2022

TT Club recognises the vital importance of focussing on the threat of invasive pests to natural resources across the world, and of the urgency in crafting effective and proportionate risk reduction measures that address the situation.  The freight transport insurer is issuing a call for action, encouraging those involved in the intermodal supply chain in whatever capacity to help guide international regulators and create pragmatic working practices to minimise the dangers while allowing international trade to continue to flow.

“Industry players of all types have a great opportunity to be part of responsible efforts to mitigate the serious concerns over possible infestation via contaminated seaborne intermodal freight vectors,” comments TT’s Peregrine Storrs-Fox. “ The ‘International workshop on reducing the introduction of pests through the sea container pathway’, being held over two days in London in September, could be a significant part of that opportunity.  We would encourage as many of those involved in the packing, transporting, handling and providing containers for export to attend.  Your registration is required urgently by 31st July.”

The workshop will take place from 19 to 20 September 2022, at Queen Elizabeth II Centre, London, United Kingdom. Participation is free of charge. Register HERE

The efficient movement of sea containers through a complex and time-sensitive global supply chain involves over 240 million container moves each year.  Clearly, any regulatory requirements that might further add to these complexities could have negative consequences beyond any benefits to pest control.  Therefore over the last several years, the IPPC and partners have been working together to examine practical measures to restrict dangerous pest transfers via the container trades.

The Sea Container Task Force (SCTF) was established to collect existing data from countries, and consider the issue.  Its report was concluded at the beginning of this year and this workshop is the next step in discussing the recommendations it made.

“Detail of the Workshop’s objectives and expected outcomes are outlined on the IPPC website as indicated above, however it is hoped, above all that the proposed measures enjoy a full airing and undergo comprehensive debate,” comments Storrs-Fox.  “It is vital that all involved, such as container lines, container manufacturers, freight forwarders, packers, shippers (both exporters and importers), port authorities and terminal operators are consulted.”

Any targeted measures that come into force via international regulations need to be effective in dealing with the issue of pest contamination of both containers and their cargoes, but they should do so in a way that achieves risk reduction with minimal impact on container logistics.

*The international Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an international convention, signed by over 180 countries and governed by the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, part of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).  

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 97% of its Members with a third of its entire membership having chosen to insure with the Club for 20 years or more.

https://www.ttclub.com

Filed Under: TT Club
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