TT Club has been at the heart of a long-term campaign to increase awareness of good cargo packing practices, both as part of responding to incidents and through speaking at industry events. These efforts are now galvanised in the 'Cargo Integrity Group'.
Coinciding with the international launch of 'CTU Code - a quick guide', the Safe Container Loading Practices and Heavy Vehicle Safety campaign was launched in Australia, following an award of government funding. While the emphasis is on road safety in Australia, the messages are consistent with those of the Cargo Integrity Group.
The use of standardised containers for much of global trade has become second nature; the range of cargo types utilising such units continues to expand. There is significant reliance placed by the various stakeholders on the overall integrity of the concept, some explicit and some implicit.
The announcement of another fire on board a container ship early in January 2020 - the first publicised this year - reinforce the vital importance of increasing rigour around the transport of dangerous goods (and not just by sea).
The versatility of the tank container for both transport and storage can give it preference over traditional parcel tankers and drums, influencing how supply chains develop, providing additional efficiencies and flexibility.
TT Club - amongst other industry stakeholders - has long championed CTU inspections as a key weapon in the armoury to enhance safety and combat poor packing practices.
