An increase in both the sophistication and frequency of cargo thefts in 2013 has been highlighted in statistics released by TAPA (Transported Asset Protection Association). Interestingly - and in line with general expectation - the average value of reported cargo thefts continues to rise globally, notably in excess of US$300,000 in the EMEA region. This would suggest that the trend of highly targeted efforts by organised criminals continues, systematically identifying higher value cargoes. Unsurprisingly, the results in 2014 continue on the upward trend.

Proposals put forward by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), aimed at improving the prevention of food safety problems through the food supply chain within the US, could have significant ramifications for operations within the transport and logistics industry, including those initiating a move into the US from elsewhere in the world. The time period for submission of written or electronic comments has been extended to 31 July 2014.

On Monday, 26 May 2014 three crewmen on board a general cargo ship were killed after entering the ship's hold. The ship was carrying a seemingly harmless cargo of sawn timber. During the passage the oxygen in the hold had been significantly depleted. This is a stark reminder of the need for thorough risk assessment, vigilance and, arguably, personal oxygen meters.

For the unit load industry, the IMO's twin approval of amendments to Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) for the verification of gross mass of containers and the IMO/ILO/UNECE* Code of Practice for packing cargo transport units (CTU Code) are welcome and important; the next mountaintop is now in sight.

At the recent Multimodal event in Birmingham, UK, an interesting round table discussion entitled 'Correct packing and accurate weighing - towards safer container transport' considered the amendments to SOLAS concerning the mandatory supply of the verified gross mass of containers and the impact of the introduction of the IMO/ILO/UNECE* Code of Practice for packing cargo transport units (CTU Code).

Shipping Containers have been the target of thieves since they first started circling the globe with many shipping lines conceding through gritted teeth that an amount of 'natural wastage' or 'mysterious disappearance' is an inevitable part of doing business in certain areas of the world.

Having experienced the consequences of mis-declaration, and poor and incorrect cargo packing throughout its history, the TT Club thoroughly welcomes the international attention towards improving practice through the supply chain.

Returning to the topic of trade terms covered in TT Talk 178 in September 2013, this article aims to clarify the concepts of risk and property (or title to the goods) and explain how the use of the Incoterms® affects the transfer of risk and property. Further, the article sets out how the transfer of risk in intrinsically linked to the issue of who can sue for loss or damage to goods.

News of settlement of a particularly nasty road accident in the US is a timely reminder that ship operators continue to be exposed to extreme liabilities, even where they have largely divested themselves of chassis fleets.

As the container capacity of ships increases, it is time to consider the resultant volume of ship's gear (lashing bars and twistlocks), and how they are handled and stored. Commonly, the operation for fitting twistlocks has moved from the container top to the quayside, necessitating the transfer of the requisite gear from the ship to the quayside before discharging or loading can commence.

The 'safety first' message seems to be getting through. At industry conferences, TT Club has often felt alone speaking about safety - and the subject itself has frequently been accommodated at the end of the schedule. In that context at least, safety definitely did not come first. Happily, the culture in operations and at conferences seems to have changed.

While attention, not unreasonably, has centred on the number of containers that fell overboard from 'Svendborg Maersk' during extremely heavy weather, it should be recognised that identical forces were exerted on the cargo packed within the containers that remained on board. ICHCA, supported by the TT Club, is launching an awareness campaign under the slogan 'PACK IT IN'.