Most contracts entered into by transport and logistics operators are formed by a series of exchanges with their customers through emails, phone calls and so on. But the most effective risk management tool for companies is to make these subject to their standard terms and conditions. This does not happen automatically.
Following a decision made in 2008 by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the old 'Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes' (BC Code) was renamed the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargo Code and its first edition is due to become mandatory from 1 January 2011.
On 21 October 2010 the Chairman of the European Parliament Transport & Tourism Committee (Brian Simpson MEP) led a debate in which he claimed that a 'staggering 10,000 containers were lost each year', the majority of which fell overboard, and that shipping lines and insurers where happy to accept this figure and do nothing about it. This assertion was in part prompted by the MARIN
We return to the topic of batteries, that was addressed from two different angles in TT Talk Editions 124, 24 Dec 2009 (nickel metal-hydride batteries) and 128, 12 Mar 2010 (recycled batteries).
A question was recently raised concerning rail carriers in the US changing seals without notifying the carrier. CTPAT guidelines clearly state that seal integrity must be maintained during transit.
1. Forthcoming amendments to ADR and RID 2. European Union 24-hour Security Rule (Electronic Entry and Exit Summary Declarations) 3. The Importance of Regular Structural Examanitions of Quay Cranes.
The FIATA Advisory Body Dangerous Goods (ABDG) has provided an advice concerning the proposed amendments of the ADR (European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) and the RID (Regulation concerning the carriage of Dangerous Goods by rail) that are due to enter into force on 1 January 2011. There are general transitional measures until 30 June 2011 with the possibility to apply for longer transitional measures for specific technical issues.
Based on an analysis revealing a number of major structural failures in port equipment in recent years, Laurence Jones, TT Club's Global Risk Assessment Director, stresses how essential it is for operators of ports and cargo handling facilities to establish a regular sequence of maintenance and thorough examination of all the lifting appliances it utilises.
