With dangerous goods making up an estimated 10% of all containerised shipments worldwide it is imperative that all the stakeholders work together to safeguard people, cargo, assets, infrastructure and the environment from the inherent risks as chemicals and other hazardous materials move through the supply chain.

The Tianjin disaster served as a tragic demonstration of the potential deadly consequences when packaged dangerous goods are not declared, handled, shipped and stored correctly, whether through criminal negligence or blind ignorance. It also highlighted the increased risks posed by greater scale, concentration and complexity in today’s international supply chains, both at sea on larger ships and ashore as port facilities and logistics operations deal with ever increasing cargo peaks.

On Monday 6 March, ICHCA International, the global cargo handling NGO, will bring together regulators and industry experts in London to assess how to improve safety in the handling and movement of containerised dangerous goods worldwide. Kindly hosted at the TT Club London offices, key topics of discussion will include regulations, compliance and reporting, misdeclaration, packing and securing, segregation and storage, emergency response, training and information flows between industry, emergency responders and authorities.

"Undeclared dangerous goods are the challenge of the future for our entire industry. Therefore, it is important to join efforts and discuss best practices in order to achieve the highest possible safety levels," says Ken Rohlmann, Senior Director Cargo Service / Dangerous Goods, Hapag-Lloyd AG and Vice Chairman at CINS, the ocean carrier cargo incident reporting initiative. "This is why Hapag-Lloyd shares its valuable and large experience in this area with other logistic partners and authorities. I hope that I’ll be able to create some awareness and to sensitize the audience on this topic." Mr. Rohlman speaks in the opening seminar session alongside Bingbing Song, Technical Officer specialising in IMDG and IMSBC Code issues at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director at TT Club, which is hosting the event.

"I look forward to contributing to the discussion on the packaging of dangerous goods at this ICHCA seminar," adds Francesco Dionori, Chief of Transport Networks & Logistics Section Sustainable Transport Division at the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), " The work done on the Code of Practice on Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code) by IMO/ILO/UNECE seeks to minimise container related incidents involving dangerous (and other) goods. It is important that there is increased awareness of the benefits that the CTU Code can bring to the industry and hope to share these benefits with participants with the aim of increasing the use of the CTU Code and saving lives in the handling of packaged dangerous goods."

Delegates at the seminar will also hear from Wouter De Gier, Global Head of Safety, Environment and Performance Management at APM Terminals, about the container terminal operator’s new global programme for dangerous goods risk management. "In close collaboration with our customers and supply chain partners worldwide, we have made great progress in 2016 and will continue to do so in 2017," says Mr. de Gier. "I look forward to joining ICHCA in March to discuss the best ways to prepare for and respond to packaged dangerous goods incidents across the entire supply chain."

Attendees will also gain insight into new technology, operational best practice and emergency response from key organisations including Britannia P&I, the Chemical Distribution Institute, Cordstrap, Exis Technologies, FEPORT - the European Federation of Private Port Operators and Terminals, and Holman Fenwick Willan.

"As the leading NGO association representing the interests of the global cargo handling industry, ICHCA International is pleased to once bring all the interested parties together to address these pressing challenges and discuss ways to manage risk and reduce incidents relating to the movement of packaged dangerous goods." said Capt. Richard Brough OBE, ICHCA’s Technical Advisor and Delegate to IMO, who will moderate the seminar alongside ICHCA Deputy Chairman Laurence Jones of the TT Club..

The Packaged Dangerous Goods seminar will be followed by the 77th meeting of the ISP - ICHCA's Technical Panel, on 7 March, kindly hosted by Britannia P&I at its London offices.

ICHCA Packaged Dangerous Goods Seminar
Monday 6 March 2017
TT Club Offices, London

See the full agenda and book online at: https://www.eiseverywhere.com

For more information, please contact:

ICHCA International
Helen Coffey, Member and Events Officer
Email: send an email
Tel: +44 (0) 203 327 7560

About ICHCA International:
Established in 1952, ICHCA International is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving the safety, productivity and efficiency of cargo handling and movement worldwide. ICHCA’s privileged NGO status enables it to represent its members, and the cargo handling industry at large, in front of national and international agencies and regulatory bodies, while its ISP Technical Panel provides best practice advice and develops publications on a wide range of practical cargo handling issues. Operating through a series of national and regional chapters – including ICHCA Australia, ICHCA Japan and ICHCA Canarias/Africa (CARC) – plus Correspondence and Working Groups, ICHCA provides a focal point for informing, educating, lobbying and networking to improve knowledge and best practice across the cargo handling chain. www.ichca.com | www.ichca-australia.com. Follow us on Twitter @ICHCA2 | Follow us on LinkedIn.