TT Live

The latest consolidated report covering inspections carried out during 2025 examined 93,079 cargo transport units. Of those inspected, 9,645 were found to contain one or more deficiencies, representing an overall deficiency rate of 10.36%. In other words, approximately one in every ten inspected units failed in some measure to meet the required standards. 

Bridge strikes involving commercial vehicles are often attributed to driver error. Claims experience suggests, however, that the underlying causes are usually more complex. In many cases, the incident reflects a breakdown in journey planning, load-height verification, route management or operational control rather than a simple driving mistake. Analysis of bridge-strike claims found that the dominant causation theme was less about bridges as unexpected hazards and more about failures in the planning stage to match vehicle dimensions with the route environment.  

In international trade and transport, a claim may be entirely valid yet fail simply because it is brought too late. Time bars are among the most significant provisions in bills of lading and transport contracts. They establish strict deadlines within which claims must be notified or commenced, failing which rights of recovery may be extinguished altogether. 

The maritime sector has long recognised enclosed space entry as one of its most persistent causes of fatality. Yet while many associate the problem exclusively with shipboard operations, the reality is that enclosed space risks extend far beyond ships at sea. Ports, terminals, warehouses, tank farms, freight facilities, and intermodal operations all contain spaces capable of creating the same lethal conditions.

Container doors are opened and closed countless times across the global supply chain. The task is so routine that it can easily be regarded as low risk. However, the doors form a critical component of the container’s structure and provide the final barrier between the cargo and the people responsible for handling it. When doors, hinges or locking gear are poorly maintained, a simple operational task can quickly result in serious injury, cargo damage and disruption. 

When most people think about military logistics, they picture large-scale mobilisation during times of conflict. In reality, the movement of military-related cargo is a constant feature of global supply chains, even during peacetime.

Weapons systems, launchers, munitions, missiles, propellants, grenades and their countless component parts are continually transported between manufacturers, storage facilities, ports and end users around the world. 

Innovation in safety does not have to be complex, expensive or technology-driven. That was the key message from the latest episode of TT Live, featuring Richard Steele, CEO of ICHCA International, and TT Club's Josh Finch.

The discussion explored how practical ideas, improved processes and workforce-led solutions can have a significant impact on safety across ports, terminals and the wider supply chain. From ergonomic tools and enhanced training methods to AI-powered monitoring systems, the annual Innovation in Safety Awards showcase initiatives that help reduce risk and improve working practices.

Now in its eighth year, the awards continue to provide a platform for sharing ideas across the industry, helping organisations learn from one another and, ultimately, ensuring more people return home safely at the end of every shift.

In the world of freight crime, cargo thieves are often opportunists. But every now and then the supply chain presents a rather different challenge...

Human trafficking and modern slavery are often described as being “hidden in plain sight”. For those operating in global transport and logistics, that phrase should prompt more than moral concern.

For decades, inland waterways have been promoted as one of the most efficient and environmentally favourable methods of transporting cargo. However, a growing challenge is beginning to emerge. What happens when the water itself becomes the constraint?