Reefer containers are regularly found with a white powder on aluminium components. For many years there has been a debate: Is this caused by cleaning techniques and materials, or by the use of low quality alloys?
It can be difficult to have relevant perspective when developments inevitably take time to come to fruition, but the last six months has been quite remarkable in the maturing of safety awareness in the unit load industry. This is most welcome, since the Club has regularly, over the last decade and more, raised concerns from its claims experience relating to the correct stowage and securing within 'cargo transport units' (CTU), and declaration of weight and contents.
There is a separate initiative underway in the ILO to update the 'IMO/ILO/UN ECE Guidelines for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTUs)' which were last reviewed in 1997. This further enhances safety and will assist in the process of ensuring that cargo is properly loaded and secured within CTUs.
Each year, the Federal Maritime Commission in the US receives a substantial number of complaints from individuals who have experienced various problems with their international household goods shipment.
Following questions in the Netherlands Parliament, a number of Government Departments in that country have combined to implement an agreement on the joint monitoring of hazardous gases in import containers.
Approved by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee last May, Amendment 35-10 of the IMDG Code, entered its transitional year in January 2011 (meaning that operators are able to apply its provisions) and will come into mandatory force on 1 January 2012.
This item looks at two of the nastiest undersides of modern smuggling, people and drugs, which potentially impact on anyone involved in international transport. For reasons of space, we concentrate on the United Kingdom; we will look at the international position in a future edition.
The Club was recently asked for its opinion on the carriage of single rough hewn blocks of marble in 20' dry units. It also appeared that the true mass of the cargo is generally estimated - frequently inaccurately - at values in excess of 20 tonnes. The loading operation was primitive. Some blocks were loaded directly onto the container floor. At best bearers up to a maximum of 6m long by 200mm square were inserted.
Readers may recall being invited to take a quick survey in Edition 133 on 21 September 2010 in relation to compliance with the shoreside training requirements mandated in the IMDG Code from 1 January 2010.
