TT Live

🚢 What happens when a ship in distress needs somewhere safe to go?

In the latest episode of TT Live, TT Club's Josh Finch is joined by experts from the Virginia Port Authority to explore the critical role of "places of refuge" and why ports must be prepared to receive and manage vessels facing emergencies.

A changing climate is creating new challenges for ports and supply chain operations. For many years, heat stress has been regarded as a risk primarily associated with tropical, desert, or traditionally hot regions of the world. Today, that assumption is becoming increasingly outdated. 

Vehicle deck operations are among the most familiar activities in the Ro-Ro and ferry environment. Trailers are marshalled, reversed, parked, trestled, lashed and released countless times each day across ports and terminals around the world. Precisely because these tasks are so familiar, risk tolerance can increase through over-familiarisation, where repeated exposure to a hazard without a negative outcome reduces the perception the associated risk The recent UK P&I Club “Lessons Learnt” animation, developed as part of the collaborative work between TT Club and UK P&I Club, provides a powerful reminder that routine operations can rapidly become high-consequence events when visibility, communication, supervision and segregation fail. 

Tank containers sit at the very heart of some of the most safety critical activities across the global supply chain. From the carriage of hazardous cargoes to operating under demanding conditions and tight schedules, the integrity of these assets underpins not only commercial performance but also the protection of people, cargo and the environment. 

Josh Finch speaks to Matt Jolley and Nick Dale about Stop the Traffik, an NGO which aims to put an end to human trafficking.

As businesses continue to navigate geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and evolving supply chain challenges, another significant risk is emerging: the growing likelihood of a “super” El Niño event.

When ships face emergencies, places of refuge can be critical. This TT Talk examines the CMA CGM Verlaine case, exploring liability, indemnities and risk management considerations for ports.

Discover key insights from Safety Village 2026, where industry leaders explored collaboration, safety innovation, risk management and resilience, highlighting how collective action can help create safer supply chains.

Transport and logistics operators must communicate clearly during crises to maintain trust and manage risk. Effective, timely, and consistent updates reassure customers, while poor or inconsistent messaging increases uncertainty.

Ports must treat requests for refuge as complex, risk-based decisions rather than simple acceptance or refusal. Effective responses require planning for long durations, managing cargo-related hazards, ensuring space and coordination, and maintaining preparedness through structured frameworks and stakeholder collaboration.