TT Club

• Cargo in transit by road remains the dominant risk
• Food & beverage cargo increases share of commodity profile
• Thefts confirmed from unsecure truck parking average 8 per day globally
• South America ranks highest in median value of cargo per incident in unsecured locations

19^th February, 2020

The second annual report on cargo theft worldwide, issued today by leading international transport and logistics insurer, TT Club and global provider of supply chain intelligence, BSI confirms the overwhelming targeting of cargo trucks compared to all other modalities. The consistency of this trend year-on-year is also reflected in the 2019 data analysis of top commodities stolen; food and beverages representing 28% of all reported thefts in comparison with 19% in 2018. Other 2018 to 2019 results comparisons are presented in infographic #1 below.

The BSI and TT Club Cargo Theft Report 2020, available here  is unique in that it analyses data from BSI’s supply chain security country risk intelligence tool, SCREEN and TT Club’s insurance risk management and loss prevention insights. The authors believe the report can play a significant role in educating supply chain professionals in the detailed risk of cargo theft across the globe. Both parties are committed to a proactive approach to minimising human, material and financial losses resulting from cargo crime.

TT Club’s Mike Yarwood urges all those concerned about cargo security to read the report but emphasises one identified trend in particular, “Thefts either of, or from road vehicles most frequently occurred while in transit, in rest areas or an unsecured parking location. These accounted for 60% of those thefts reported. Interestingly, our infographic (#2 below) gives more detail from the regions with confirmed thefts from unsecured parking areas. The median value of losses from these incidents ranges from $100,000 in South America to just over $11,000 in parts of Asia. We are particularly keen to draw attention to the dangers of such informal parking and encourage the provision of more secured truck stop facilities.”

The report includes further advice on how theft risks can be reduced. This section is once more co-authored by BSI’s Advisory Supply Chain Security team and the TT Club’s claims and loss prevention team.

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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.  

About BSI

BSI is the business improvement company that enables organizations to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence. For over a century BSI has championed what good looks like and driven best practice in organizations around the world. Working with over 84,000 clients across 193 countries, it is a truly international business with skills and experience across a number of sectors including automotive, aerospace, built environment, food, and healthcare. Through its expertise in Standards Development and Knowledge Solutions, Assurance and Professional Services, BSI improves business performance to help clients grow sustainably, manage risk and ultimately be more resilient.

To learn more, please visit: www.bsigroup.com

About BSI Supply Chain Services and Solutions
BSI Supply Chain Services and Solutions is the leading global provider of supply chain intelligence, global supply chain verification auditing services, audit compliance and risk management software solutions, and advisory services. BSI’s supply chain services and solutions and services can work independently to address specific needs or combined together to gain unparalleled visibility into your global operations. Implementing BSI’s holistic supply chain risk management suite provides organizations with a complete solution for a more sustainable and secure supply chain.

To learn more, please visit www.bsigroup.com/supplychain

The ongoing disruption to freight transport services and global supply chains resulting from the coronavirus are significant and will continue to evolve on a daily basis.  In addition to the heightening challenges transport operators are facing in moving their customers goods to and from China, insurance provider, TT Club is advising on the potential unforeseen exposures that may also accrue.

In a briefing compiled with the assistance of specialist international lawyers, HFW, the Club outlines how freight forwarders, logistics service providers and other intermediaries can protect themselves legally and minimise their liabilities, while still giving a quality service to their customers.

Restrictions due to labour shortages at ports and cancellations of inland transport links within China, constraints in the supply of goods due to factory closures and reduced schedules of air, ocean and rail carriers may expose forwarders to claims arising from delivery delays and cargo deterioration.

The TT Club briefing details these pitfalls and provides guidance on correct and comprehensive documentation handling. However, its underlying direction is to counsel transport operators to be proactive in their communication.  In such disruptive situations, as the one the coronavirus has precipitated, both the value of the operator’s service to his customer and his protection against future liability claims lies in good, accurate communication.

“Up-to-date status reports on their cargo’s progress, or lack of it, are vital to shippers,” emphasises TT Club’s Risk Management Director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox.  “Forwarders and logistics operators will certainly prove their mettle if they can consistently make customers aware of the ongoing attempts to problem-solve.  Careful recording of communication trails detailing such actions will also help in any disputes in the future.”

In attempting to deliver such solutions, however, a forwarder may need to use routes, carriers or modes that are less familiar, or to partner with other actors, of whom he has no experience.  Such ‘workarounds’ are common at times of crisis when pressure from customers to deliver freight by whatever means can be intense.  Additional care and due diligence must be taken when working in unfamiliar environments.  It might be necessary to take extra precautions in employing bills of lading, standard trading conditions (STC), letters of indemnity (LOIs) and other means in order to protect the stakeholders from unforeseen costs and liabilities.

The briefing, that can be accessed here, goes far in explaining these risks and the steps that can be taken to keep them to a minimum.  Underlying most of these steps however is good communication.  For example if force majeure notices are required to be sent, it must be ensured that these are fully understood by the recipient. In other cases, when delays or deviations are caused by matters genuinely outside the operator’s control, then these circumstances must be well documented.

Common sense, proactive communication with counterparties as required and the adherence to good working practices will set operators in a better position to be protected in these abnormal circumstances.  However, when stress can be heightened by unexpected pressures, it is useful to have guidelines that focus on the possibility of unusual risks, TT Club’s briefing seeks to provide such guidance.

ENDS

About TT Club

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises vessel operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors.

As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a worldwide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

www.ttclub.com

Insurance mutuals urge the container shipping industry and participants in the global supply chain it serves to give ever more serious attention to the causes and consequences of ship fires, jointly issuing a guide outlining the responsibilities of all stakeholders in reducing risk.

London, 22^nd January, 2020

1^st January this year saw mandatory enforcement of the latest version of the IMDG Code, Amendment 39-18.  As the incorrect declaration, packing, handling and stowage of dangerous goods of all types is seen as a primary cause of many container ship fires, insurance mutuals UK P&I and TT Club have once more collaborated in publishing guidelines under the title ‘Book it Right and Pack it Tight’.

The guide published this week and available free of charge*, provides key insights for all actors in the freight supply chain responsible for preparing unitised consignments for carriage by sea. It gives an overview of the practical duties and responsibilities under the IMDG Code for each stakeholder.

Stuart Edmonston is UK P&I’’s Loss Prevention Director.  “As mutuals, our chief aim is to minimise risk for our Members and the industry we serve,” he says.  “The recent spate of container ship fires with the consequent loss of life, damage to ships and cargo, and trade disruption has been a major concern to ourselves and TT Club.  UK P&I continues to participate in initiatives which focus on the capability to detect, suppress and extinguish fires at sea.  However we share our sister organisation’s desire to tackle the causes of such fires at source.”

TT Club sees its core contribution to seek significant improvements in cargo declaration and packing. “As so often the case, fires and explosions are merely the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of problems, which are inherent throughout the supply chain,” observes Peregrine Storrs-Fox, TT Club’s Risk Management Director.  “There are far too many errors in classification and declaration of commodities to be transported.  These are often amplified by poor decisions and practices relating to packaging, packing, segregation and securing. Such errors severely compromise safety in a variety of ways, but most critically when the goods should be rightly be described as dangerous in a regulated sense and, here, in compliance the IMDG Code.”

Uffe Ernst-Frederiksen, Head of Cargo Management at Maersk Line and Chairman of CINS says of this guide, “I find this publication to be tremendously useful and that if only people would read one book this year that it should be this one.”

Through its ‘Cargo Integrity’ Campaign TT Club has been for some time seeking to enhance awareness of the issues and to urge implementation of more rigorous practices relating to entering cargo into the supply chain. Its support of, and participation in CINS, is one such initiative. CINS is comprised of representative of container shipping lines which together control over 85% of the world’s container slot capacity. 

A recent CINS report, which should be seen as complementary to ‘Book it Right and Pack it Tight’, demonstrates substantial effort by the industry to bring understanding to the complexities involved in the ship stowage processes. It seeks to develop a commonality of approach in order to improve safety. Entitled ‘Safety Considerations for Ship Operators Related to Risk‐Based Stowage of Dangerous Goods on Containerships’**, it underlines the irrefutable fact that proper declaration is a paramount prerequisite.

One of the expert companies involved in the preparation of the CINS Risk Based Stowage report was Exis Technologies, whose input was focused around its detailed knowledge of the IMDG Code Dangerous Goods List and stowage requirements.  In collaboration other industry experts Exis categorised each commodity on the List by UN Number, placing it in the appropriate Risk Zone as defined by the CINS Stowage guidelines.  In order to further encourage the use of these guidelines, Exis has gifted the Hazcheck Risk Zone Data*** online as a free resource to all involved across the container supply chain.

*https://www.ukpandi.com/knowledge-publications/article/book-it-right-and-pack-it-tight-2020-edition-151231/

*https://www.ttclub.com/loss-prevention/publications/risk-management-handbooks/

**http://www.cinsnet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CINS-DG-Stowage-Considerations-Final.pdf

***https://hazcheck.existec.com/hazcheck-systems/hazcheck-risk-zone-data.aspx

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About UK P&I

The UK P&I Club is a leading provider of P&I insurance and other services to the international shipping community. Established in 1869 the UK P&I Club insures over 244 million tonnes of owned and chartered shipping through its international offices and claims network. ‘A (Stable)’ rated by Standard & Poor’s with free reserves of $505m, the UK P&I Club is renowned for its specialist skills and expertise which ensure ‘best in class’ underwriting, claims handling and loss prevention services.

The UK P&I Club is managed by Thomas Miller, an independent and international insurance, professional and investment services provider.

www.ukpandi.com

About TT Club

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises vessel operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors.

As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a worldwide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

www.ttclub.com

International freight and logistics insurer, TT Club has announced the appointment of a new Network Partner, tasked with providing support for those the Club insures around the world, in Qingdao, China. The seventeenth such facility that TT provides globally, this complements the Club’s regional offices in Shanghai and Hong Kong

Hong Kong and London, 20^th January, 2020

Fundamental to the mutual insurer’s service is its global reach.  Therefore to have the first Network Partner established in China, to complement the existing Shanghai corporate office, is an important landmark for the Club.

Allowing TT Club Members, its insured, to access a unique network of freight transport experts across the globe, Network Partners provide claims assistance, loss prevention and risk management advice to container lines, freight forwarders and other supply chain operators who arrange their insurance cover through TT Club.

Now in Qingdao, through the appointment of Ever Faith Marine Service Co Ltd., as of 10^th January, TT Club has a presence in three key locations.  Qingdao joins TT Club’s management company Thomas Miller’s offices in Shanghai and its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong.

In making the announcement, Phillip Emmanuel, TT Club’s Asia Pacific Regional Director said, “TT Club Members large and small both operate and trade in a truly global environment and it is vital that they receive assistance from us wherever their business transactions are made and carried out.  We strive therefore to continually enhance the reach of our service network in order to deliver an unequalled level of claims and loss prevention advice.”

Ivy Yu will lead the Ever Faith team in serving TT Club Members.  Ivy spent four years working at the offices of TT Club managers Thomas Miller in Shanghai and will bring valuable experience of mutual insurance to the new Network Partner.

ENDS

About TT Club 

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises vessel operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors.

As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a worldwide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

www.ttclub.com

To minimize risk and improve port safety, three of the cargo handling industry’s leading bodies have produced an information paper Collision Prevention At Ports & Terminals.  Experts from international freight transport insurers, TT Club, together with cargo handling industry experts ICHCA and PEMA share the latest technologies to detect and prevent collisions to promote safety.

London 27 November 2019

In an attempt to improve safety, reduce injuries and loss of life, equipment damage and minimize costly business disruption at ports and terminals worldwide, PEMA, TT Club, and ICHCA International have pooled resources to make available information to promote collision prevention. All relevant stakeholders have been involved in the development of this project. PEMA represents container crane and technology manufacturers, and TT Club and ICHCA International represent container terminals.

There is a growing number of non-contact, state-of-the- art technologies for collision prevention that can dramatically improve equipment safety and reduce risk associated with container handling. However, many of these are not currently included in national or international standards. This paper suggests that such technologies should be installed on new and existing equipment, and  covers major features and types of non-contact technologies for collision prevention at ports and terminals. Collision Prevention At Ports & Terminals is now available free from the websites of TT Club, PEMA and ICHCA.

This information paper does not carry any binding obligations, and is independent of the various local, national and international regulatory regimes on the safe design, manufacture, specification and operation of the various equipment types, which must also be satisfied. Adoption of equipment technologies to enhance risk reduction and safety, which is the primary focus of this document, must also go together with the development of robust operational safety processes.

Container terminals are inherently associated with potential safety risk, with vehicles and heavy equipment operating in close proximity. However, given that terminal plant is broadly similar and typically performs similar tasks, it is possible to model different types of collisions and place them in a matrix. To determine what may occur in each part of a terminal, this paper specifies the equipment and personnel likely to be involved in each area; and for each combination of machinery and personnel, the document analyses possible collision types and shares latest technologies to help prevent collisions.

ENDS

Link to PDF of Information Paper:  https://www.ttclub.com/loss-prevention/publications/collision-prevention-at-ports-and-terminals/

ABOUT TT CLUB

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises vessel operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors.

As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a worldwide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

www.ttclub.com

Three industry bodies have produced Revision 1 of their Recommended Minimum Safety Features for Quay Container Cranes.  Experts from international freight transport insurers, TT Club, together with cargo handling industry experts ICHCA and PEMA recommend minimum standard safety features to promote safety.

London 20 November 2019

The ‘Recommended Minimum Safety Features for Quay Container Cranes’ document has been updated and Revision 1 now available. Published jointly by property, equipment and liability insurance provider TT Club, the Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) and ICHCA International, the recommendations update the original document published in 2011.  Born out of TT Club’s claims experience, the research has drawn together a formidable group of operational and engineering experience from around the globe to recommend solutions to common safety issues.

The publication calls for a new approach to the crane procurement process in order to recognise safety as an integral part of operational decisions that will minimise exposure to injury, damage and disruption costs over the life cycle of the equipment.

The recommended minimum safety features directly address the causes of accidents and failures identified by TT Club from its claims records. Some of these include:

• Damage caused by high winds
  TT Club’s publication ‘WindStorm II – Practical risk management guidance for marine & inland terminals’, emphasises that design features play an important part in minimising exposure.  Non-technical people would be surprised at the ‘sail effect’ inherent in the ‘Meccano-like’ structures. There are innumerable instances of cranes being blown along the rails, colliding with neighbouring cranes, or being dislodged from the rails, often  leading to structural collapse. While extreme conditions cannot be entirely avoided, the recommended baseline requirements include details for driven braking system and anemometer design and operational controls with an appropriate shutdown function.  Further losses can be prevented through the installation of storm pins on both waterside and landside, as well as crane tie-downs on each corner of the crane – with appropriately positioned and engineered anchor points in the terminal apron.

• Damage caused by collision
  Accident statistics clearly demonstrate that collisions are a surprisingly recurrent problem. Most commonly, it is the boom of the crane that impacts a ship’s superstructure, resulting in substantial repair costs and consequent downtime. TT Club has for a number of years recommended the installation of radar or laser electronic sensors. This proven technology, integrated appropriately into the operational systems, allows the crane to come to a ‘normal’ stop prior to impact.
• Risk of fire
  The incidence of fires in quay gantry cranes is low, certainly compared with mobile terminal equipment. However, the position of control machinery high up on the crane structure presents a considerable challenge to most port fire response services. Thus, it is important to install temperature and smoke detection systems and provide alarms for all relevant operational staff. Fully automatic fire suppression is also recommended.

The intention of the ‘Recommendations’ is to urge suppliers to include as standard, not optional, the baseline safety features on this list in all their quotations for container quay cranes. Terminals and buyers are also recommended to incorporate such requirements in their tender specifications. In many instances the safety features identified can be retrofitted to existing equipment. This publication aims to contribute to protecting the substantial asset investment and minimising costs and injuries associated with any type of accident.

The ‘Recommended Minimum Safety Features for Quay Container Cranes’ document Revision 1 now available free from the websites of TT Club, PEMA and ICHCA.

https://www.ttclub.com/news-events/press-releases/quay-cranes-minimum-safety-features-updated-150863/

ENDS

ABOUT TT CLUB

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises vessel operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors.

As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a worldwide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

www.ttclub.com

ABOUT PEMA

The Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA) was established in 2004 to provide a forum and public voice for the global port equipment and technology sectors, reflecting their critical role in enabling safe, secure, sustainable and productive ports, and thereby supporting world maritime trade.

Chief among the aims of the Association is to foster good relations within the world port equipment and technology community, by providing a forum for the exchange of views on trends in design, manufacture and operation of port equipment and technology.

PEMA also promotes and supports the global role of port equipment and technology by raising awareness with customers, the media and other stakeholders; forging relations with other port industry associations and bodies; and contributing to best practice initiatives and information.

PEMA’s growing membership represents a cross-section of port equipment OEMs, suppliers of components including brakes, cable reels, controls, drive systems, tyres and more, providers of software, systems and other advanced technologies, and expert consultants in the field of port equipment and technology.

www.pema.org

ABOUT ICHCA INTERNATIONAL

ICHCA International is the only global association dedicated to the promotion of safety and efficiency in the handling and movement of goods by all modes and throughout the supply chain.

Originally established in 1952 and incorporated in 2002, the Association operates through a series of Local, National and Regional Chapters, Panels, Working Groups and Correspondence Groups and represents the cargo handling world at various international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

ICHCA International members include ports, terminals, transport companies and other groups associated with cargo handling and coordination. Members of its Panels represent a substantial cross-section of senior experts and professionals from all sectors of the cargo transport industry globally.

Members benefit from consulting services and informative publications dealing with technical matters, best practice advice and cargo handling news.

www.ichca.com

In addition, the 2^nd John Strang A. O Memorial Award was received by the Health and Safety Executive UK.  Both awards were announced last night at the ICHCA 20/20 Cargo Vision international conference

London 13 November 2019 – The 3^rd TT Club Innovation in Safety Award was presented last night to a joint winning delegation of Künz, CSXIT and Yardeye at the ICHCA 20/20 Cargo Vision international conference, hosted by Malta Freeport Terminal, taking place at The Hilton Hotel, Malta between 11 and 14 November.  The 2^nd John Strang A.O Memorial Award was awarded to Health and Safety Executive UK at the same evening reception and awards ceremony, attended by conference delegates from over 23 countries worldwide. The reception was held at Casino Maltese in Valletta.

Heike Deggim, Director of the Maritime Safety Division at the IMO and Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director at the TT Club presented the safety award to Stephan Trauth of Yardeye, who accepted on behalf of the winning delegation.

The TT Club Innovation in Safety Award aims to highlight the importance of safety at a time of increased operational demands on cargo handling infrastructure and operations worldwide. It 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.

The judging panel was impressed to receive such a broad spectrum of innovative ideas, processes and system improvements together with technology advances that all demonstrated not just the safety needs in the cargo-handling industry but also vibrant ingenuity. From a total of 17 entries, the judges narrowed the submissions to five shortlisted concepts, each of which had substantial merit in improving safety, including the ability to be implemented in broader environments

Künz, CSXIT and Yardeye won the Award for their Winter Haven Terminal Automation and Safety System automation project. The project demonstrated how an automated intermodal terminal achieved significant safety improvements, including amongst others reduced exposure of personnel to safety risks together with much-improved ergonomic conditions for the terminal’s crane operators.

The judges were also pleased to award a ‘Highly Commended’ prize to LINX Cargo Care Group for its LINX CCG Virtual Reality (VR) safety training programme, designed to increase knowledge and understanding of potential hazards throughout its organisation.

The UK’s Association of British Ports (ABP) and Global Container Terminals (GCT) from Canada were placed joint third: ABP being recognised for its project to design and provide female-specific PPE and work wear that provides improved protection for its female staff and GCT for its Deltaport Intermodal Yard Reconfiguration Project and the semi-automation at Deltaport – GCT transitioned its rail operation from a conventional one to a semi-automated mode in order to deliver significant safety improvements.  

Fifth place was awarded to Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for its MSCI container cargo inspection screening process improvement project.

Both ICHCA International and TT Club have a fundamental commitment to risk reduction throughout the supply chain and, in particular, to safety within cargo handling operations. Promoting such safety advice is paramount to the philosophy of the two organisations and the Award reflects this commitment.

Said Peregrine Storrs-Fox on presenting the Award ‘’A key part of TT Club’s mission to the industry lies in minimising risk through safety research, advice, education and active lobbying to improve standards and regulations.  This requires broad collaboration – as with our current Cargo Integrity campaign, which seeks to engage all stakeholders in the global supply chain, urging them to take responsibility for the correct declaration, packaging and handling of goods in their care. This award seeks out and profiles initiatives that squeeze out the consequences of errors and substandard practices that can be life threatening.”

The 2^nd John Strang A.O Memorial Award was won by Health and Safety Executive UK, accepted by Charles Oakley on behalf of the organisation and presented by Sallie Strang, in recognition of her late father’s commitment to promoting high standards of health and safety during his tenure at ICHCA and throughout his career.  The Award acknowledges the many achievements of HSE UK in reducing the number of industrial incidents and accidents that have caused either permanent ill-health or loss of life, as well as its extensive work in the port sector to establish regulations and codes of practice to promote safety.

The ICHCA 20/20 Cargo Vision international conference continues on 13 and 14 November.

Notes to Editors

About ICHCA International

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 and ICHCA Canarias/Africa (CARC) – plus 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.

www.ichca.com

About TT Club

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors. As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller.

London & Dubai, 23^rd October, 2019

The international freight and logistics insurer, TT Club was this week honoured at the sixth annual The Maritime Standard Awards in Dubai with the title of Marine Insurer of the Year 2019.

The award was presented to Julien Horn, Director of TTMS (Gulf), TT Club’s Network Partner based in Dubai, at a gala dinner held in the Atlantis Ballroom of The Palm.  In accepting the award Horn said, “TT Club is greatly honoured to receive such a prestigious award in recognition of its role as the leading insurer in the maritime, freight and logistics sector.  TT Club insures many of the region’s leading organisations from port authorities to terminal operators, transport and logistics companies to freight forwarders and has done so for over forty years”.

The occasion celebrated the achievements of the top performers in the industry in some style. Attended by over seven hundred top executives, the event demonstrated clearly why it has earned the right to be considered the leading awards ceremony for the industry in the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent.

H.E. Eng. Ahmed Mohammed Shareef Al Khoori, Director General of the Federal Transport Authority – Land & Maritime, gave the keynote speech  saying “The maritime sector is an important incubator of economic growth and diversification, companies and organisations active in this sector are to be valued and encouraged. That is what these Awards tonight will do.”

The awards, held under the patronage of His Highness, Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline, attracted a high standard of entries for each of the twenty awards presented on the night.

The judging panel had a tough challenge in deciding the winners.  The organisers, The Maritime Standard, pointed to the record number of entries of an exceptional quality, meaning those who were successful had to overcome tough competition, whatever the category.

TT Club, has a local presence in many parts of the world, including for over twenty-five years in the Middle East, which enables it to deliver its quality service globally.   Unlike general insurers, TT Club is a specialist in the field with 100% of its expertise coming directly from and being channeled to the marine and freight focused operators it insures. TT stands for ‘Through Transport’, reflecting the door-to-door nature of the risks covered. ‘Club’ denotes its mutual status, with membership belonging to its Members rather than shareholders – TT Club exists to serve its Members rather than for profit.

ENDS

About TT Club

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors. As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice.

www.ttclub.com

London, 8th August, 2019 A number of container lines have recently announced measures to discourage shippers from mis-declaring hazardous cargoes, which is a practice strongly suspected as being either the cause of, or at least contributory to, the spate of container ship fires in recent months.

TT Club welcomes such initiatives by liner operators as the international transport insurer has growing concerns about the lax cargo packing practices and erroneous, sometimes fraudulent, declaration of cargoes. Under the banners ‘Cargo Integrity’ and #Fit4Freight, TT Club has been collaborating with stakeholders through the freight supply chain to highlight on-going risks, including severe ship fires, arising from poorly packed and declared cargo.

In light of the increase in incidents, the loss of life, significant costs and delays to cargo deliveries, the lines are strengthening their inspection procedures and imposing fines on those shippers found to have mis-declared.

Peregrine Storrs-Fox, TT Club’s Risk Management Director commented, “Clearly, the shipper has primary responsibility to declare fully and honestly so that carriers are able to take appropriate actions to achieve safe transport. Since this is not always the case, carriers have to put in place increasingly sophisticated and costly control mechanisms to ‘know their customers’, screen booking information and physically inspect shipments. Equally, carriers have the opportunity to review any barriers to accurate shipment declaration, including minimising any unnecessary restrictions and surcharges. Penalising shippers where deficiencies are found should be applauded. Furthermore, government enforcement agencies are encouraged to take appropriate action under national or international regulations to deter poor practices further.”

TT Club’s Cargo Integrity campaign seeks not only to promote awareness of good practice, such as set out in the CTU Code[1], but also to reveal the plethora of influences from both direct and indirect stakeholders within the supply chain that result in behaviours leading to dangerous incidents on land or at sea.

“A key element of the campaign is to identify levers – both sticks and carrots – that are available to improve a safety culture in container transport, including considering unintended consequences inherent in trading arrangements or fiscal/security interventions and the possibilities presented by technological innovation,” .

[1] http://www.unece.org/trans/wp24/guidelinespackingctus/intro.html

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About TT Club

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club’s membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors. As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice. TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller.