This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
ISSUE 2 2011


Former freight man faces extradition


A former director of a UK forwarder is at the centre of a extradition row. Christopher Tappin, owner of Orpington- based Brooklands Freight Services, faces being sent to the US to face charges of selling batteries for Iranian surface-to- air missiles in December 2005. District Judge John Zani, sitting at City of Westminster magistrates court in London on 11 February, said there was “ample evidence” to justify extraditing the 64-year-old to Texas, where he could face a 35- year jail term if convicted. Tappin argued that he was the victim of entrapment by US customs officers and says that he will challenge the decision in the high court and the supreme court, if necessary. At a press conference , he said he arranged a shipment of batteries from the US to the Netherlands at the end of 2006 with no knowledge they were destined for re-export for use in Iranian missiles.


A US company appointed to handle US import formalities, suggested by a business contact, turned out to be a front for US customs agents. Mr Tappin added that he made a profit of just £300


on the £16,000 deal. In a statement, his solicitor,


Karen Todner said: “Mr Tappin’s compelling evidence was not challenged in any way. All the evidence put forward by the defence was accepted. However the District Judge still found that it was more important to abide by the Extradition Treaty rather than protect the rights of this 64 year old man of good character...The sooner this Government reviews and changes the Extradition Law the better it will be for all British Citizens.” Tappin will now appeal to


the Secretary of State and if necessary to the High Court. Christopher Tappin was also non-executive


a director and


minority shareholder of the similarly-named Brooklands International Freight Services- based in South Nutfield, near Redhill until April 2008 but had no active role in this company. The directors of the latter have asked as to point out that, contrary to some press reports, the alleged attempt to purchase restricted items was conducted entirely through Tappin’s own company, Brooklands Freight Services.


NEWS


The US District Court upheld a 2009 indictment that logistics company Agility defrauded the US Army on an $8.5bn contract during the Gulf War in 2003. Agility had argued that the case was invalid because prosecutors only served it on the company’s US subsidiary and not the Kuwait-based parent


company, Public Warehousing Company KSC. The ruling comes ahead of a criminal trial.


with


Agility said it was disappointed the decision


and was


reviewing its legal options, adding: “The company continues to believe this case involves a civil contract dispute and should not be


DfT to consult on longer trucks


A long campaign by the UK road haulage industry appears to


have paid off after the


Department for Transport revealed that independent research had show that longer trucks could cut carbon without compromising safety. Roads minister Mike Penning has opened consultation on plans to allow a two metre increase in the total length of articulated lorriesto 18.75 metres but within the existing 44-tonne weight limit. DfT estimates that this move could


increase capacity


for volumetric goods by up to 13% and cut carbon emissions by around 100,000 tonnes each year by reducing total truck


movements. The increase would not


however be enough to allow a 20’ and 40’ shipping container to be carried on the same vehicle. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) welcomed the consultation,


saying it would


allow semi-trailer length to increase to 15.65 metres and give an equivalent deck space to current drawbar (rigid truck and trailer) combinations. Andy Mair, FTA’s Head of Engineering Policy, said: “The demand for high volume semi- trailers is expected to be confined to specific market sectors where products carried are bulky and low density.”


a criminal matter.” The company said its suppliers and business practices


were disclosed to,


approved and routinely reviewed by its US government customer. It also said that after learning of the prosecution, it “continued to deliver outstanding service for US troops in Iraq and Kuwait and


5 Court upholds Agility indictment


superior value to taxpayers. “Thirty-three Agility employees


were killed and 262 injured in the performance of this contract. Agility lost hundreds of vehicles and millions of dollars in cargo, assuming all losses itself with no compensation from the US government.”


East Halton passes hurdle


Able UK has reached agreement with the RSPB and Natural England to resolve objections to the planned development at the South Humber Gateway at East Halton on the south bank of the Humber, according to local press reports. North Lincolnshire Council has indicated that it will approve a planning application for the project and a recommendation is now expected to be made to local government secretary Eric Pickles. A final decision could be made in late April.


Able UK plans to develop a


£400m Marine Energy Park at the site to cater for the needs of the offshore wind industry. In January, Siemens signed a memorandum of understanding to develop turbine manufacturing facilities at ABP’s Green Port development at Alexandra Dock in Hull, the first of an expected slew of major wind- related developments at UK ports. (FBJ 2011, issue 1, page 1) The Government has made £60m worth of seedcorn capital available to help ports develop suitable facilities.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39