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Issue 7 2014 - Freight Business Journal Insurance Packing tips for your flexible friends


TT Club’s Peregrine Storrs-Fox looks at the application of forthcoming international packing instructions to the use of flexitanks.


The use of flexitanks for transporting bulk liquid cargo has grown rapidly over the last decade.


Projections for total shipments


this year are around 650,000; up from about 100,000 in 2005. Forecasts put the figure at over one million by 2018. This represents a 15% annual growth over the next five years. Products carried include wine and


other foodstuffs, supplemented by latex and dispersions (a family of chemicals that help other chemicals mix). The latter, together with newer products such as base and edible oils and chemicals can cause problems if a failure occurs in the supply chain, and regulators are becoming increasingly concerned over safety. Two new IMO documents will come into


force over the next two years which will affect liquid cargo carried in bulk within flexitanks in general purpose containers. While distinct in their objectives, they combine to strengthen the regulatory net around part of the unit load industry that has seen significant growth.


The CTU Code


The first document is the IMO/ILO/ UN ECE Code of Practice for Packing Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code), which includes a section referring to ‘Liquids in Flexitanks’ and two important requirements: -The transport of dangerous goods (DG)


in flexitanks continues to be prohibited and: -When a flexitank is loaded into a general


purpose CTU, the mass of the liquid in the flexitank should not exceed a value agreed with the CTU operator, to prevent the CTU from suffering bulging damages. The growing use of flexitanks for


chemicals and edible oils presents a problem, as many of these products,


such as fatty acids may be considered Class 9 dangerous goods. Any reluctance by shippers to use the ‘Proper Shipping Name’ for such commodities, as it would prevent them from using flexitanks, would be disturbing. Correct classification of commodities, together with use of appropriate packaging and adherence to other regulatory requirements, is necessary if flexitanks are to take their rightful place in the supply chain market. Unlike the BSI PAS (Publicly Available 1008


Standard) Specification for the


performance and testing of a single-use flexitank, there is no maximum cargo mass or volume included in the CTU Code. Instead, the responsibility is placed on the ‘CTU operator’, being the owner or operator. Many flexitank operators will adopt the PAS limit of 24,000kg and 24,000 litres, but without constraints the CTU Code permits the CTU Operator to designate smaller or greater values than stated in the PAS – and larger ones may place unacceptable forces on the container and the dynamic load increases instability of the container during handling and transport. There is no requirement in the PAS for


labelling the container and in the CTU Code only a requirement to mark the container on the leſt hand door. Handlers and transporters may thus not be aware that the container is carrying a flexitank – better practice might be to mark all four vertical surfaces. Additionally, there is no requirement anywhere to indicate the mass or volume of the liquid carried. Thus, where the specific gravity of a liquid is less than 1, larger volumes may be carried. This would have the effect of raising the static centre of gravity, but may not substantially increase the dynamic forces. In fact, safety may be more compromised by loading a flexitank at substantially less than its nominal capacity.


Verifying gross mass in accordance with SOLAS It has been argued that limiting the size of


the cargo by mass alone, rather than also by volume as in the PAS, allows greater control and complies with the second piece of IMO regulation – the amendments relating to the verification of gross mass in SOLAS (the Convention for Safety of Life at Sea). These will – from July 2016 – require that all shippers provide a verified gross mass for all containers either by way weighing the packed container or by calculating the gross mass. Effectively containers carrying bulk


liquids in flexitanks can only have a verified gross mass produced by weighing the packed container. Accurate measuring equipment supporting the container will permit the packer to control the filling process up to the maximum permitted – and would seem to be in the interests of packers and shippers both commercially and in compliance with international law. Regardless of commodity classification


or mass/volume issues, ensuring that the container system is suitable must not only take account of the flexitank and restraining system – the container is equally important. Selecting one that is fit for purpose and safe to use, free from sharp protrusions and clean needs more than just a cursory glance. CTU operators and packers have a joint responsibility to check thoroughly that the container is suitable and that the flexitank and restraining system fits. PAS 1008, the CTU Code and the SOLAS


amendments should improve safety in flexitank operations, but further steps may be required to ensure this packaging type is adequately regulated as a reliable and efficient system that provides cost effective and safe transport of bulk liquids in general purpose containers.


Flying dragon


Charter broker Air Partner and Ruslan International have flown a gigantic mechanical Horse Dragon to Beijing. Long Ma Jing Shen or ‘The Spirit of the Horse Dragon’ was due to participate in a Chinese parade to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China on 17-19 October. The 12 metre high, 46 tonne mechanical


model, which needs at least eight human operators to control its movements, took off from Nantes on an Antonov 124.


Lithuania has


///NEWS News Roundup asked the European


Commission to intervene in French plans to prevent truck drivers from taking their rest time in vehicle cabs. It has called for the subject to be addressed in a working group, arguing that the planned legislation would break EU rules. France has adopted a law under which operators could be fined up to €30,000 if they allow drivers to take their weekly rest in cabs, but others, including the International Road Transport Union (IRU), say that it is anti-competitive as it would drive up costs for East European and other operators whose drivers spend a long time away from base.


Road & Rail


The European Parliament’s Committee on Transport has authorised the restart of negotiations with the Council of Ministers on truck weights and dimensions. However it is not likely to resolve the vexed question of whether to allow cross-border movements of 25.5 metre long, 60-tonne trucks between two adjacent countries that allow domestic operation of such vehicles. MEPs are however requesting an impact study for 2016.


DB Schenker Rail UK is now moving containers for WH Malcolm between Daventry and Grangemouth. The new flow carried the first 50’ containers in the UK, unveiled by WH Malcolm at the Multimodal show this year. The new flow is in addition to the Daventry to Mossend service which DB Schenker Rail UK has been running since early April.


Cross Channel ferry operator, DFDS Seaways, is trialling a new freight booking system for customers using mobile and tablet devices. Developed by DFDS’ IT development team, it is currently being trialled by six freight customers. DFDS is also building a new couchette sleeping area in the quiet lounges on its Dunkirk vessels for drivers requiring a legal break period during their Channel crossing. Further improvements include the introduction of a Twitter feed keeping customers on the road up to date with ferry service and port information @ DFDSChnlFreight.


News Roundup CUSTOMS &


EU and Chinese customs joined forces to target undervaluation of goods at customs under Operation Snake, coordinated by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and involving the Chinese customs authorities for the first time and netting a total of €80m in unpaid duty. Over a one month period, OLAF and the participating customs authorities detected more than 1,500 containers where the declared customs value was heavily undervalued. Ploys included false descriptions of goods, false weights and quantities, and counterfeit goods.


The trade treaty that triggered the Ukraine crisis is to be postponed, said EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht following a meeting with Ukraine’s foreign minister and Russia’s economy minister in Brussels on 12 September. The free trade pact with the EU, originally due to enter into force on 1 November, will not now be implemented until 31 December 2015 in return for which Russia agreed not to impose threatened trade sanctions on Ukraine. But the EU will meanwhile reduce tariffs on imports from Ukraine to help ease the economic crisis there. Ukraine’s decision not to sign the trade treaty with the EU triggered the wave of street protests and ultimately led to Russia’s intervention in Crimea.


HM Revenue and Customs has published a list of frequently asked questions about the Union Customs Code (UCC) which is due to come into force in the European Union from 1 May 2016. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/


INTERNATIONAL TRADE


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