Five industry groups are joining forces to co-operate in areas of freight safety.

Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP), Container Owners Association (COA), International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) and Ship Message Design Group (SMDG) have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed to create a framework for cooperation in areas of joint interest.  

The signing is described as a coming together of five organisations with shared visions for the safety and security of global trade which will take advantage of unified information and data sources to bring greater awareness and understanding of issues with the goal of producing preventative output.

John Beckett, chairman of ICHCA, sees the participants as a “unique grouping of industry leaders (which) has the potential to coordinate data, research and best practices across the broad spectrum of the international movement of cargo”. 

“A key goal is to create an awareness throughout the freight industry, amongst operators, regulators and policy makers, as to practical and effective measures to improve safety,” he adds   

Dirk Van de Velde, representing CINS, identifies container fires as an urgent issue. “The combined knowledge, experience and database resource of the signatories to this MOU, managed in a coordinated manner, have massive potential to leverage change in safety processes.  We will be publishing guidance on the treatment of lithium ion batteries, among other cargoes, in the near future,” he explains.

Other stated aims include working together to initiate innovative worldwide surveys and studies that can assist with the furtherance of these organisations on behalf of their members and associates.  There will also be sharing of research findings and publications to strengthen information exchange, while avoiding duplication of effort by pooling resources.