With ISPS Code implementation now only months away, TT Club has undertaken an education and information programme for its existing and prospective members in Venezuela.
The Hazworld.com website recently carried an article on the problems that can arise when cargoes are fumigated. Readers with good memories may remember that TT Talk addressed this issue in Editions 17 and 19, published in January and March 2002 respectively. The Hazworld article was prompted by a circular issued by the TT Club's sister club, the UK Pandi Club, following a survey of containers that had recently been carried out in Rotterdam.
In recent years at least six big container ships have been seriously damaged by major fires or explosions. Apart from the loss of life and injury to seafarers, each accident caused millions of dollars of damages. Experts attribute most of these incidents to hazardous materials that were loaded into containers but not declared to the carriers.
Speaking at the Intermodal Transport & Logistics Conference in Rotterdam earlier in this month perishable trade expert and consultant to TT Club, David Heather made clear the necessity for operators dealing with the transport of perishables to adopt more disciplined loss prevention strategies.
TT Club, a leading transport insurance provider, has confirmed that its latest assessment of claims resulting from Typhoon Maemi, the devastating storm that hit South Korea on 26 September, is substantially reduced from the initial estimates of US$40-50 million, with the likely level of claims faced by the mutual not expected to exceed US$25 million.
