Dive Brief:

• A few of the world's supply chain representative associations banded together this week to reiterate the need for appropriate equipment for properly packing and shipping cargo, as set by the Cargo Transport Units (CTU) Code.
• The call was made in a joint press release by the Global Shippers Forum, ICHCA International, TT Club and the World Shipping Council at the Intermodal Europe Conference in Amsterdam.
• The associations seek to bring greater awareness of the need for advanced safety practices to all stakeholders involved in the shipping process, and are working with the International Maritime Organization and various governments to improve compliance.
  

Dive Insight:

Recognized safety standards must be employed to ensure the best quality shipping outcomes.

Resistance toward maintenance surcharges at ports and terminals are among potential safety hazards within the cargo shipping industry, as are outdated dangerous goods policies among corporate shippers. A lack of safety oversight can also contribute to an increase in shipping containers lost at sea, which varies from 568 to 1,562 annually, depending on weather conditions.

The argument in favor of following universal safety standards is pretty straightforward. Rather than observing a variety of rules depending on location, a consistent set of worldwide requirements makes the process of proper packing and storing simpler to memorize and act upon.

Because a set of standards created by the IMO already exists, the need for compliance reminders should be few and far between. Proper packing and CTU management rules are clear; following them should be second nature.