ICHCA International, the NGO association for the global cargo handling industry, and the British International Freight Association will be hosting a series of practical seminars on the new IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for the Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTUs), the association press release said.
Held from 21-30 October, the half-day events in Hull, Grimsby, West Yorkshire and Tees will focus on the new Code’s contents, its potential impact, and how it may be enforced globally.
Developed jointly by the International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the new Code of Practice will be far more comprehensive than the original 1997 packing guidelines from these three influential organisations. Applicable to all types of cargo moving in containers, trailers, swap bodies and railcars, by road, rail or sea, the Code will provide parties along the supply chain with information about their responsibilities, including details of how to pack and secure packages and cargo items. It also places a responsibility on the shipper to declare correctly the composition of the cargo, as well as the gross mass of the packed CTU.
As highlighted recently by insurance company TT Club and the Cargo Incident Notification Service (CINS), poor CTU loading is responsible for an alarmingly high percentage of incidents along the transport chain, leading to damage, loss, injuries and even fatalities. According to the TT Club, which is sponsoring and speaking at the seminar, poor packing and securing of cargoes should now be even more of a concern for members of the supply chain than inaccurate container weighing, an issue that has received much attention of late.
The seminars will include talks by an expert panel of speakers and professionals from across the cargo chain, including: Bill Brassington, owner of ETS Consulting and consultant for editing the new Code; Don Armour, Policy Advisor at the Freight Transport Agency; and Keith Bradley, Hazardous Cargoes Advisor at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Brainstorming workgroups will also address key questions around disseminating the Code and training and educating packers.
All news