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'.

The full adoption of the IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of practice for packing cargo transport units (CTU Code) took a massive step forwards as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) moved to protect the lives and safety of both workers and the general public by endorsing the draft document without amendment at its session 25-17 February 2014. It is expected that the competent bodies within IMO and ILO will similarly endorse the CTU Code during the course of 2014.

All cargo ships, without exception, have some form of gear and equipment on board. Incidents have highlighted the need for greater clarity over the inspection and maintenance regime internationally. Here, we explore the background and proposals.

The use of unsuitable or unsafe ships' gear for cargo handling risks death or serious injury to those using it and damage to the lifting gear itself, other parts of the ship and/or to the cargo being handled. Incidents have arisen through lack of maintenance or repair, and unsafe and unfit conditions for use. Who should do what?