TT Live

Seven countries that are members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) submitted data on 77,688 container inspections in 2024 in line with MSC.1/ Circ.1649. The intent of this IMO Circular is to encourage governments to identify misdeclarations and poor packing practices to “justify and effect safety improvements without an actual incident happening”. Since adoption of this iteration of guidance on inspections from IMO, reports have increased by more than 50% from approximately 51,000 in 2022 to 77,700 in 2024. Less positively, the number of IMO member states reporting has not increased. 

Ports, terminals, and logistical transport networks are increasingly exposed to climate-related hazards, with floods, storms, heatwaves and rising sea levels posting a growing threat to operational continuity and global trade.  

In September 2025, TT Club published a white paper called Climate-ready Supply Chain. It provides guidance for ports, waterways and logistics operations on how to adapt and build resilience, ensuring business continuity and supporting insurance compliance. 

Power outages are no longer rare, isolated incidents in the transport and logistics sector. With the increasing complexity of ageing energy grids and growing reliance on electrical and digital systems, blackouts are becoming both more frequent and disruptive – with potentially severe commercial, safety and insurance implications. Ports and terminals should take steps now to make their operations more resilient to power failures, which should include the possibility of planning and rehearsing a safe shutdown.  

The British government has recognised the urgent need to clamp down on cargo thefts from trucks. A new report to the Department of Transport has confirmed the importance of providing properly safe truck stop for drivers of the nation’s 437,000 heavy goods vehicles, who move 89% of all national freight by road. A new Freight Crime Bill, which aims to introduce a separate crime classification code for freight crime as well as much needed funding for the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Services’ (NaVCIS) Freight division, is now working its way through Parliament. 

NAABSA (not always afloat but safely aground) berths are those where ships sit on the riverbed or seabed at low tide rather than staying afloat. The practice is common in ports with high tidal ranges, but there is a real risk to ships if the bed of the berth pocket is in any way obstructed or uneven. 

To avoid major liability claims for hull damage and subsequent disruption to port operations, port authorities need to ensure their NAABSA berths are regularly surveyed, dredged and levelled. In addition, all dropped cargo incidents need to be investigated and resolved without delay. 

The volume of freight containers lost overboard at sea continues to fluctuate. Each incident is a stark reminder to everyone in the transport and logistics sector of the need to take steps to prevent such losses, recognising that every lost container can have major environmental, financial and reputational impacts for supply chain actors.

TT Club continues to support efforts to mitigate risk through participation in intergovernmental and industry led groups targeted at understanding and addressing the associated risks.   

In this episode, Jos Koning, Naval Architect at MARIN and Josh Finch discuss Top Teir. A joint industry project headed by MARIN, the group of over 40 stakeholders are on a quest to identify the root causes driving container loss at sea, the possible mitigating actions available - and whether they could they be adopted in practice through changing standards and regulations, in a way that can be successfully accepted by all involved, from authorities to industry.

Sara Fisher, Head of Operations & Business Development at the British Parking Association talks to Josh Finch about the latest safe and secure parking certification process, Park Mark Freight.

The global trade in counterfeit goods is a constant threat to economies, consumers and supply chains around the world. According to a May 2025 report by OECD and the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the illegal trade in fake and potentially dangerous goods is worth over US$450 billion a year. As such counterfeit cargoes continue to expose transport and logistics professionals to fines, product liability claims and abandonment costs if they fail to spot them.

As the maritime industry continues to evolve in response to global pressures, ranging from climate volatility to labour shortages and rising operational costs, bulk cargo terminals are increasingly turning to automation. While container terminals have long been the focus of digital transformation and automation, are bulk terminals beginning to embrace automation as a strategic imperative?