The TT Club, emphasizes its ongoing commitment to handling the persistent issue of container losses at sea, which fluctuate annually due to extreme weather conditions.

As explained, understanding the circumstances that lead to stack collapse and losses overboard incidents is of course important in mitigating the danger. TT applauds the World Shipping Council initiative to publish the details of the annual survey into container loss and recognizes the lowest level of recorded losses during 2023, including the important fact that around 33% of units initially lost are subsequently rescued.

Nevertheless, TT’s own analysis of historic incidents clearly shows that weather is the single most influential aspect. Furthermore, the data demonstrate that this is far more difficult a challenge, involving a wide range of interconnected operations.

While the focus is, not wholly unreasonably, mostly on ship operations, TT has long recognised that all participants in the freight supply chain carry responsibility. When the transport order is initially placed the accuracy of the verified gross mass (VGM) is pivotal, as is the right load allocation and securing when packing cargo into the container. Consequently, TT’s cargo goodness campaign remains central to its work, alongside partners in the Cargo Integrity Group.

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