The Container Owners Association (COA), the Global Shippers Forum, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), the TT Club and the World Shipping Council (WSC) are working together on a variety of activities to better embrace and enforce critical security practices around the global supply chain.
As part of this long-standing partnership, the five organizations have issued a "Quick Guide" to the Code of Practice for the Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code) approved by the United Nations, along with a checklist of acts and obligations to direct certain undertakings in particular the packing of cargo in freight containers.
Dedicated to improving safety, security and environmental performance across the logistics supply chain, one of the goals of this partnership is to encourage understanding and greater use of the IMO / ILO / UNECE Code of Practice for Cargo Transport Units Packing.
Container fires onboard ships have been widely documented, where containerized cargoes may have been the cause of such fires.
The organizations believe that effective, widespread and conscientious adherence to the CTU Code by all parties within global supply chains of CTU would dramatically reduce these types of accidents, some of which resulted in casualties and serious injuries among crews of ships and workers on the shore.
“A key objective of our mission is promoting awareness of the CTU Code. We have a dedicated set of outcomes designed to achieve this aim, which begins with the publication of our ‘CTU Code – a Quick Guide’. We want the Code to be as accessible to as many operatives as possible and hope this Quick Guide will encourage them to learn how the Code can be applied to their own particular needs," Capt. Richard Brough OBE of ICHCA International stated.
Perhaps the biggest challenge in minimizing freight-related issues is to build the required awareness throughout the large number of businesses involved in carrying cargo by bulk cargo and other forms of units of cargo transport. The group's fourth goal is to communicate with other stakeholders, and through them, with the wider industry and government agencies.
Maritime Business World