Policy & Compliance
Improving cargo safety Increasing concerns about cargo safety in the international supply chain were addressed by BIFA in a recent Member webinar. Robert Windsor , Member policy & compliance director, reviews the lessons learned “ It is estimated Robert Windsor Mike Yarwood
I n an insightful webinar hosted by BIFA in July, Mike Yarwood, MD loss prevention at the TT Club, looked at three linked aspects, where a greater understanding will promote higher safety. The three strands were: adherence to the Code of Practice for Packing Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code); ensuring compliance with the need to supply an accurate Veri fi ed Gross Mass (VGM); and lastly, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Regulations (IMDG). The webinar looked at these requirements and the importance of applying them relative to all cargoes. One theme that is evident, is that not enough questions are being asked at the booking stage about the nature of the cargo being shipped. The writer started his freight forwarding career shipping mainly industrial products and the presumption then was that all goods were hazardous until shippers could demonstrate otherwise.
that there is one serious fire on board a container vessel every month
BIFA STC Clauses 14 and 15 of the BIFA Standard Trading Conditions (STC) are specific on this point. Clause 15 covers goods of a “dangerous or damaging nature”, highlighting that the shipper should issue written
14 | September 2024
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