When one looks at Road and Rail Risks in North America, there are many different regulations and time limits to be aware of depending on the type and location of transport.
The founding vision for the CINS Organisation, to highlight risks posed by certain cargoes and packing failures in order to improve safety in the liner shipping industry, has continued to demonstrate value through 2014. The last year has proved to be one of substantial consolidation of the data capture capability, increasing the authority with which the organisation can address issues arising in the industry.
The ports of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Oakland are jammed with ships waiting to unload containers. The US Coast Guard warned shipping lines 10 days ago that they should be prepared to make alternate mooring arrangements or expect that the ship will need to remain at sea until safe anchorage space becomes available. There are currently some 19 container ships in the Long Beach harbour waiting for a berth.
The International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code governs the processes by which classified cargoes may be transported by sea. It is updated every two years and each amendment may, effectively, be used for a maximum period of three years. All amendments prior to Amendment 36-12 are no longer valid - if you are using an older amendment, it is strongly recommended that you upgrade to Amendment 37-14 which entered transitional effect on 1 January 2015.
A fundamental building block for safety at any site is enforcing good site induction procedures. No visitor should enter a facility without receiving a proper safety induction. Further, employees and contractors deserve parallel safety treatment and enforcement. Following on from TT Talk 186 on this topic, one port here recounts its experience. The TT Club welcomes this contributed article from Port Otago Limited, who have insured with the Club for three decades.
Despite, or perhaps connected with, an historically long run of relatively benign North Atlantic hurricane seasons, most people now accept that climate change is happening. Severe windstorms are being seen in locations they have seldom occurred before. As a result, TT Club is urging ports and terminals globally to establish sound practice systems, procedures and equipment to withstand severe storms.
The introduction of the freight container revolutionised the carriage of cargo in the supply chain, permitting large volumes of cargo to be lifted from ships without the need for slings, nets or platforms. But the container brought its own problems that did not at first manifest themselves. The system is fundamentally reliant on the integrity of parts that may not regularly be scrutinised in operation.
Freight containers are remarkably simple in concept - a structure whose strength is fundamentally retained in the framework and the capability of corner fittings to enable a designated gross mass to be lifted or held in place. Some of the components are defined as 'structurally sensitive', while others may be more relevant to the protection of cargo. All require attention to ensure that the supply chain process is successful and safe.
As consumerised societies around the globe rushed to take advantage of discounts on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States it may be appropriate to highlight the recurring issue of shipments that are wrongly released. In view of a spate of mis-delivery incidents, here is a reminder of advice previously provided. It is always preferable for cargo to be released to the correct person, once all amounts due have been settled.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) could be rightly proud that it has navigated through to amend the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) to require verification of container weight and approve the IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code). These are important steps to improve the integrity of cargo movement in the maritime mode and throughout the supply chain. As larger container tonnage becomes commonplace, is it time to check lashing and securing?
