TT Club

Industry sentiment expressed at the ICHCA Seminar entitled ‘SOLAS VGM One Month Out – Are You Ready?’ held in Antwerp last week, was one of frustration.  Less than 15%  of the IMO Member States in which VGM regulations will be mandatory have issued guidelines on the manner in which they intend to enforce the regulation.

London, 8 June, 2016

With under a month to go before the amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS), requiring that shippers obtain the verified gross mass (VGM) for each packed container and communicate it to the shipping line before it can be loaded onto a ship representatives of a wide spectrum of the industry gathered to review preparedness.

The recent IMO Circular, issued on 23^rd May and urging ‘practical and pragmatic’ approach to enforcement of VGM over the first three-month settling-in period, was welcomed.  Albeit in the context that further national implementing measures may not be required, it was noted that less than 15% of the 162 IMO Member States that are signatories to SOLAS have given shippers and operators in their jurisdiction any helpful guidelines regarding VGM procedures that become mandatory on 1 July.

Mike Yarwood, Claims Manager from TT Club, the freight insurance specialist addressing the Seminar audience commented, “The recent IMO Circular is rightly good news for those that are taking appropriate steps to prepare for 1^st July. It is not – and should not be considered in any way – a panacea for the unprepared. Sympathetic enforcement for a limited period allowing for cargo already in the supply chain and resolution of teething problems in no way steps away from the safety objectives of these VGM amendments.”  TT Club has repeatedly pointed out that there was extensive stakeholder and international consultation leading to IMO’s adoption of the amendments to SOLAS in November 2014.

The recent Maritime Safety Committee Meeting stated that the key to successful implementation of the VGM requirements is close communication and cooperation between governments and all industry stakeholders. It was also recognised that the

VGM requirements operate within a context of cargo related requirements in SOLAS, the ISM Code[1], the IMDG Code[2] and the CTU Code[3]. Mike Yarwood summed this up,

“Behavioural change through all aspects of the supply chain is required. Weight is a relatively small element of broader initiatives to engender safety and improve operational performance. Improved stakeholder communication is foundational.”

The Antwerp Seminar was a recent element of a long-running effort by ICHCA and a number of trade bodies to create a greater awareness and understanding of the VGM regulation.  Captain Richard Brough, Technical Advisor to ICHCA International has, along with others, been at the forefront in this challenge.  Speaking at the Seminar, he said, “As 1^st July approaches we see an increasing number of terminal operators announcing the service options they will offer to shippers to facilitate determining the VGM of export containers.  Lifting equipment suppliers, carriers, forwarders and, with a few exceptions, shipper representatives have all engaged positively in order to identify the most appropriate way to comply, whether by Method 1 or Method 2.  Sadly, where compliance is a shared responsibility, communication between all the different parties has too often been acrimonious rather than collaborative. As a result – a month out – contingency planning is now crucial for all stakeholders, to avoid a potentially disastrous impact on container supply chains.”

Both ICHCA and TT Club, together with the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the Global Shippers Forum (GSF) are determined to use the remaining weeks to continue their mission of education to those concerned with, and about, the regulation.  These four sponsors will shortly issue ‘Verified Gross Mass – Supplementary Industry FAQs’ to add to the document released in December 2015. The organisations will also monitor implementation, both in the initial period and longer term.

[1]  International Safety Management Code

² International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code

³ IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units

ENDS 

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 ISP 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 | www.ichca-australia.com

Follow us on Twitter @ICHCA2

Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/ichca-international

About TT Club

The TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services.  As a mutual insurer, the TT 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.

Customers include some of the world’s largest shipping lines, busiest ports, biggest freight forwarders and cargo handling terminals, to companies operating on a smaller scale but whose operations face similar risks. TT Club specialises in the insurance of Intermodal Operators, NVOCs, Freight Forwarders, Logistics Opeators, Marine Terminals, Stevedores, Port Authorities and Ship Operators.

The TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller.

www.ttclub.com

Thomas Miller is an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services. Founded in 1885, Thomas Miller’s origins are in the provision of management services to mutual organisations, particularly in the international transport and professional indemnity sectors; where today they manage a large percentage of the foremost insurance mutuals. Thomas Miller also manages insurance facilities for all the self-employed barristers in England & Wales, as well as trustees of pension schemes, patent agents and housing associations.

Principal activities include:

• Management services for transport and professional indemnity insurance mutuals
• Investment management for institutions and private clients
• Professional services
• Building defects insurance

www.thomasmiller.com

TT Club, the leading international transport and logistics insurance provider, today announces its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2015, and AM Best affirms its A- (Excellent) rating for the 10^th consecutive year.

Highlights:

• $172.0 million gross earned premiums (2014: $182.2 million)
• $4.8 million surplus (2014: $14.1 million)
• Total assets of $618.1 million (2014: $610.2 million)
• Total surplus and reserves $178.1 million (2014: $175.3 million)
• AM Best affirms financial strength rating as A- (Excellent)
• 2015 financial year combined ratio of 94.4% (2014: 85.6%)

Knud Pontoppidan, Chairman of TT Club, said: “After very good years in 2013 and 2014, 2015 was what most might be described as a ‘normal year’. Incidents such as Tianjin and a number of cargo-related fires meant the Club experienced a higher number of large claims above US$1million than in 2013 and 2014. The positive side of this claims experience was that the Club was able to demonstrate its very high levels of service by assisting Members in handling the claims.

“Despite the increase in large claims, and the soft rating conditions, the Club continues to be in good shape. The work to improve the health of the insurance book since 2009 has paid off to help to mitigate the increase in large claims in the year and the Club’s rating awarded by AM Best at A- (Excellent) has been affirmed for 2016.

“The Board and I are pleased with our very high retention levels in 2015 at 93% and the feedback we receive from Members and brokers on our service levels. A core element of the Club’s service offering is its approach to the risks faced by our members and the value delivered through the Club’s claims and loss prevention services. As a mutual insurer the Club will continue to work closely with Members to adapt its approach to their needs and deliver services to help them manage their operations more effectively.”

Charles Fenton, Chief Executive of TT Club, added: “TT Club continues to be financially strong and this is reflected in AM Best maintaining our excellent ‘A-’ rating. We remain committed to working with members and brokers to maintain our loss prevention and service levels that allow us to be the world’s leading provider of international transport and logistics insurance.”

The TT Club’s 2015 Annual Report and Financial Highlights can be downloaded here.

– End –

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.

Thomas Miller

Thomas Miller is an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services.

Founded in 1885, Thomas Miller’s origins are in the provision of management services to mutual organisations, particularly in the international transport and professional indemnity sectors; where today they manage a large percentage of the foremost insurance mutuals. Thomas Miller also manages insurance facilities for all the self employed barristers in England & Wales, as well as trustees of pension schemes, patent agents and housing associations.

Principal activities include:

• Management services for transport and professional indemnity insurance mutuals
• Investment management for institutions and private clients
• Professional services
• Building defects insurance

www.thomasmiller.com

In order to assist the implementation of the VGM amendment to SOLAS, which comes into effect on 1^st July, the IMO has agreed on certain enforcement guidelines and is expected to issue a Circular to all Member States this week.  Freight insurance specialist, TT Club welcomes the move, which crucially urges governments to engage with the industry in their jurisdictions to assist with compliance and to share best practice with other national authorities.

London 23^rd May 2016

At an International Maritime Organization (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee session in London that culminated on Friday, delegates agreed on guidance and advice to both those active in the container supply chain globally (shippers, carriers and port operators), as well as governmental representatives (so-called Competent Authorities) tasked with enforcing the regulation. The soon to be issued Circular will urge ‘practical and pragmatic’ enforcement of VGM over the first three-month settling-in period, partly in respect of transhipment containers but also recognising the probability of ‘teething’ problems in documenting, communicating and sharing VGM information.

TT Club, as an insurer closely involved in risk mitigation and safety measures pertaining to container transport welcomes this IMO guidance. “Like many others in the industry, we have been disturbed by the apparent confusion over how shippers will comply with the amendment to the Convention on Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS), making it mandatory for all packed containers to obtain and communicate the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) as a precondition to loading onto a ship”, says TT Club’s Risk Management Director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox.

“Moreover we have been particularly concerned about the patchy guidance given by national authorities to assist shippers and operators in minimising expense, delays and errors in complying with the regulation. This clarifying statement from the IMO is therefore welcome”, he said.

One area of potential confusion has been eradicated. Packed containers that are loaded on a ship before 1^st July but are trans-shipped on or after that date for carriage to their final port of discharge, will be permitted to do so without the VGM specified in the new regulation.

With regard to enforcement, given the difficulties to achieve uniformity of interpretation by authorities around the world and therefore a lack of the consistency that shippers (and others in the industry) clearly require, the IMO is urging a policy of ‘practical and pragmatic’ enforcement by authorities over the first three months.

Once more Storrs-Fox applauds the move, “There are no doubt still a number of grey areas. In order to give time for these to be resolved the IMO’s intent is that any party who has done its level best to comply, even if it has not technically fulfilled the letter of the law, may expect to be treated with understanding. Those, however who have done little or nothing can expect to be penalised”.

The four industry organisations (TT Club, World Shipping Council, ICHCA and Global Shippers’ Forum) that produced the ‘Industry FAQs’ in December 2015 are also intent on issuing supplementary guidance in advance of 1^st July.

In recognition that the revised requirements in relation to VGM are simply a part of the broader set of international safety requirements relating to the carriage of cargo, including the CTU Code (IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units) also approved during 2014, the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee emphasised that safe operation of ships is not limited to the provision and use of VGM information.

Crucially in order to bring the clarity of interpretation and consistency of implementation of VGM across all trading jurisdictions, the Maritime Safety Committee is delivering a strong message from its meeting last week. This is summed up by TT Club’s Storrs-Fox, “National governments, the signatories to SOLAS, need to engage closely with the container supply chain industry to assist shippers, terminal operators and ship masters in reaching compliance. Governments are also urged to liaise with each other‎ to share best practice, towards which a number of key authorities have already made significant progress”.

ENDS

About TT Club

The TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services.  As a mutual insurer, the TT 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.

Customers include some of the world’s largest shipping lines, busiest ports, biggest freight forwarders and cargo handling terminals, to companies operating on a smaller scale but whose operations face similar risks. TT Club specialises in the insurance of Intermodal Operators, NVOCs, Freight Forwarders, Logistics Operators, Marine Terminals, Stevedores, Port Authorities and Ship Operators. The TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller. www.ttclub.com

Thomas Miller is an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services. Founded in 1885, Thomas Miller’s origins are in the provision of management services to mutual organisations, particularly in the international transport and professional indemnity sectors; where today they manage a large percentage of the foremost insurance mutuals. Thomas Miller also manages insurance facilities for all the self-employed barristers in England & Wales, as well as trustees of pension schemes, patent agents and housing associations.

Principal activities include: Management services for transport and professional indemnity insurance mutuals

• Investment management for institutions and private clients
• Professional services

• Building defects insurance

www.thomasmiller.com

Darlington, UK, 10 May 2016

Exis is pleased to announce the introduction of two new e-learning courses for safe handling and packing in accordance with the CTU Code and to assist compliance with the SOLAS Verification of Gross Mass (VGM) regulation. TT Club has provided sponsorship to support development of the courses.

As consistently evidenced by the experience of both global freight transport insurer, TT Club and the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) Organisation, poor CTU packing is responsible for an alarmingly high number of incidents  leading to damage, loss, injuries and fatalities.  Additionally, the declaration of incorrect container weight (or Gross Mass) also contributes to adverse safety conditions.

There have been two recent, important developments that are aimed at improving this situation.    The first is the introduction of the Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code) formulated jointly by three United Nations bodies, IMO, ILO and UNECE*, and approved as non-mandatory international law.  The second is the amendment to SOLAS** to require verified gross mass (VGM) for packed containers, which enters into mandatory force on 1 July 2016.

Exis Technologies, a leading supplier of compliance systems to the freight transport industry, has responded to these positive initiatives to improve transport safety by introducing two new e-learning courses.

• Introduction to the CTU Code Course provides an overview to the CTU Code.  It highlights how to navigate the key sections of the Code and how it can support training in the packing and securing of cargo into/onto CTUs.  The course is aimed at all those  who are involved in packing and consigning goods through the supply chain, including warehouse operators, forwarders, freight depot staff, hauliers and logistics service providers. This practical course contains direct links to the electronic version of the CTU Code.
• Introduction to Freight Container VGM Course explores the verified gross mass requirement, including the two methods permitted in obtaining VGM, being weighing the container once it is packed (Method 1) or weighing all the constituent parts and adding that to the tare mass of the container (Method 2).  This course is designed to provide all the information needed to understand why this legal requirement was developed, its objectives and offer practical solutions.

The new courses will follow the tried and tested e-learning format already being used for the Exis IMDG Code e-learning courses, launched in January 2010 to meet the mandatory requirements for training of shore side staff involved in shipping dangerous goods by sea.

The end of course review and assessment will provide a final summary and test understanding of the material covered.   A course completion certificate will automatically be generated that can be printed out and kept as a record of training.

The courses are available for the web or as SCORM (learning management system) compliant content packages for national, regional or global training programs.  The courses are set up on an e-learning administrator system to enable in-house management for staff undertaking the training,  including course configuration, setting pass marks and timeframes for completion and progress monitoring.

Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director, TT Club, commented, “TT Club has long been concerned over the safety implications of badly packed cargoes in containers and other cargo transport units (CTUs).  The CTU Code and changes to SOLAS requiring Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of packed containers are important steps in promoting good practice and improving efficiency in the supply chain.  Training is clearly the number one loss prevention measure and, if adopted as a core feature of the operator’s culture, can greatly reduce the number of incidents incurred globally each year throughout the industry.  These  e-learning courses offer high quality and easily accessible training for all those involved in freight transport, each of whom materially impact safety.”

The new courses are also supported by the International Cargo Handling Association (ICHCA).

More information is available at www.ctupack.com

*International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

**International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea

ENDS

Notes for editors:

What is the aim of the CTU Code of Practice for Packing of CTUs?

The aim of this IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code) is to give advice on the safe packing and securing of cargo into cargo transport units (CTUs) to those responsible for the packing and securing of the cargo, and by those whose task it is to train people to pack such units. The aim is also to outline theoretical details for packing and securing as well as to give practical measures to ensure the safe packing of cargo onto or into CTUs.

In addition to advice to the packer, the CTU Code also provides information and advice for all parties in the supply chain up to and including those involved in unpacking the CTU.

The CTU Code also addresses issues such as training and the packing of dangerous goods.  It states, ‘The successful application of this Code concerning the packing of CTUs and the achievement of its objectives are greatly dependent on the appreciation by all persons concerned of the risks involved and on a detailed understanding of the Code. This can only be achieved by properly planned and maintained initial and retraining programmes for all persons concerned with the packing of CTUs.

The online version of the CTU Code of Practice is available here: https://www2.unece.org/wiki/display/TransportSustainableCTUCode/CTU+Code

What are the requirements for verified gross mass (VGM)

In November 2014, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted mandatory amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Chapter VI, Part A, Regulation 2 – Cargo information. The SOLAS amendments, effective from 1 July 2016, place a requirement on the shipper of a packed container, regardless of who packed the container, to verify and provide the container’s gross verified gross mass (VGM) to the ocean carrier and port terminal representative prior to it being loaded onto a ship. VGM is the combined weight of a container’s tare weight and weights of all the packages and cargo items, including pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing materials packed into the container.  It can be calculated using one of two approved methods: either weighing the packed container as a whole, or weighing the cargo items and all dunnage, lashing and securing material and adding this to the tare of the container.

About Exis Technologies:

Exis Technologies, headquartered in Darlington, UK, is the leading supplier of compliance systems for the management of dangerous goods in sea transport. For over 25 years major container shipping lines, ports and shippers have been relying on Hazcheck Systems for regulatory compliance, efficiency and safety in their global operations. They serve 80% of the top container lines.

Exis Technologies also develops e-learning courses for the transport industry.  IMDG Code e-learning is a cost-effective training solution for shore side staff that has been implemented by half of the top 20 container lines as well as shippers and logistics operations worldwide. CTUpack e-learning is a range of online courses for the safe handling and packing of CTUs, including the new Introduction to the CTU Code and Introduction to Freight Container VGM courses.

About TT Club

The TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services.  As a mutual insurer, the TT 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.

Customers include some of the world’s largest shipping lines, busiest ports, biggest freight forwarders and cargo handling terminals, to companies operating on a smaller scale but whose operations face similar risks. TT Club specialises in the insurance of Intermodal Operators, NVOCs, Freight Forwarders, Logistics Operators, Marine Terminals, Stevedores, Port Authorities and Ship Operators. The TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller. www.ttclub.com

The cargo handling industry’s representative body launches a safety award, sponsored by specialist insurance provider TT Club, to highlight innovation in improving safety standards in cargo logistics around the world

London, 15 January 2016

Presentations to the winner of the award, and to the highly recommended entrant, will be made by new IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim at a special reception during ICHCA International Conference on “Bigger Ships, Greater Challenges” in Barcelona on 1^st March. Mr Lim, who in his inaugural speech this month called for “strengthened partnerships” between all stakeholder to ensure the safety, security and sustainability of shipping, will also give the opening keynote at the Conference.

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

In announcing the opening of the Award entry process, ICHCA International Chairman David Bendall said, “The world’s supply chains are becoming ever-more complex and developing rapidly in new locations. The demands on our cargo handling infrastructure and operations are increasing and safety above all must not be compromised. We are keen therefore that participation in our initiative be industry wide. The Award is open to all those – an individual, team or company – involved in cargo logistics.”

Entrants must show that a product, idea, solution, process, scheme or other innovation has resulted in a demonstrable improvement to safety. Empirical evidence or corroborative support to establish enhanced safety in a defined situation or solution to an issue must be presented. The submission must be original and will be likely to have applications in wider industry circumstances, where appropriate.

The deadline for entries is Friday 12 February 2016 and full details of the entry process and judging criteria can be found here

Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director at TT Club welcomed the opportunity to sponsor this unique Award. “TT Club has always emphasised the critical nature of loss prevention in its role as a primary supplier of liability and property insurance to the supply chain industry. As such, we are committed champions of safety awareness and applaud ICHCA’s initiative to establish this award. We have worked closely with ICHCA for a number of years in producing safety advisory documents and urge sound practice wherever and whenever possible. We look forward to the wealth of safety innovation that will be encouraged by this Award.”

ENDS 

Notes to Editors

ICHCA International

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 ISP 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 | www.ichca-australia.com

Follow us on Twitter @ICHCA2

Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/ichca-international

TT Club

The TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services.  As a mutual insurer, the TT 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.

Customers include some of the world’s largest shipping lines, busiest ports, biggest freight forwarders and cargo handling terminals, to companies operating on a smaller scale but whose operations face similar risks. TT Club specialises in the insurance of Intermodal Operators, NVOCs, Freight Forwarders, Logistics Operators, Marine Terminals, Stevedores, Port Authorities and Ship Operators.

The TT Club is managed by Thomas Miller.

www.ttclub.com

Thomas Miller is an independent and international provider of insurance, professional and investment services. Founded in 1885, Thomas Miller’s origins are in the provision of management services to mutual organisations, particularly in the international transport and professional indemnity sectors; where today they manage a large percentage of the foremost insurance mutuals. Thomas Miller also manages insurance facilities for all the self-employed barristers in England & Wales, as well as trustees of pension schemes, patent agents and housing associations.

Principal activities include:

• Management services for transport and professional indemnity insurance mutuals
• Investment management for institutions and private clients
• Professional services
• Building defects insurance

www.thomasmiller.com

Contacts:

ICHCA:

Holly Thompson

Communications Officer

Tel: +44 (0)20 3327 7560

Email: holly.thompson@ichca.com

TT Club Media:

Peter Owen

ISIS Communications

Tel: +44 (0)1737 248300

E-mail: info@isiscomms.com  

TT Club:

Tally Judge

Tel: +44 (0)20 7204 2632

E-mail: tally.judge@thomasmiller.com

www.ttclub.com

BROAD INDUSTRY COALITION OFFERS CLARITY ON NEW CONTAINER WEIGHING REGULATIONS

Today, the World Shipping Council (WSC), the TT Club, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), and the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) jointly released a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to address issues arising from the new container weighing regulations due to take effect globally on 1 July 2016. The amendments to the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) Convention require packed shipping containers to have a verified gross mass (VGM) before they can be loaded on a ship for export.

The amendments were adopted by the IMO (International Maritime Organization) to enhance maritime safety and reduce the dangers to containerships, their crews, and all those involved in container transport throughout the supply chain. The FAQs have been developed by the industry coalition in response to numerous questions from shippers, carriers, forwarders, and terminal operators about the steps they must take to ensure successful implementation of the new regulations.

This initial FAQs document seeks to clarify how the SOLAS container weight verification requirements will function in various situations. It identifies commercial and operational arrangements that will have to be addressed, and it flags issues that must be dealt with by national governments. The FAQs are based on actual questions from affected stakeholders, and they will be expanded as new issues emerge. Stakeholders are invited to approach any of the collaborating organizations with additional questions that may come up. Contact details of ‘subject-matter experts’ from each of the organizations can be found at the end of the FAQs document.

Container safety is a shared responsibility, and all parties have an interest in improving the safety of ships, the safety of cargo and the reduction of the risks to the lives of ships’ crews and others throughout the containerized supply chain.

The FAQs document can be accessed here:

http://www.ttclub.com/loss-prevention/publications/container-weighing/

ABOUT MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY COALITION:

The World Shipping Council (WSC) represents the global liner industry on regulatory, environmental, safety and security policy issues. The WSC has observer status at the IMO and was actively involved in the development of the SOLAS container gross mass verification requirements. More information is available at: www.worldshipping.org.

The TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry’s leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. The TT Club participated throughout the IMO consultation process leading to the amendment of SOLAS and the related implementation guidelines. More information is available at: www.ttclub.com.

The International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the safety, security, sustainability, productivity and efficiency of cargo handling and goods movement by all modes and through all phases of national and international supply chains. ICHCA actively participated in the debates leading to these SOLAS amendments. More information is available at: www.ichca.com

The Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) is the world’s leading global trade association representing shippers’ engaged in international trade moving goods by all modes of transport. GSF was actively involved in the debates at the IMO leading to these SOLAS amendments. More information is available at: www.globalshippersforum.com