Port restrictions demand dangerous cargo vigilance

CFR invests heavily in training Alan Peat IN THE groupage industry, hazardous cargoes present a host of problems that possibly too few are really alert to, according to Uli Hatesohl, m.d. of CFR Freight. “With a number of serious accidents having occurred in Europe in past years, we have been taking dangerous cargo very seriously right from the beginning,” he told FTW. “We have been sending our people on dangerous goods courses since we opened our doors. “But we have the feeling that the whole shipping industry is just far too lax about it, with a lot of hazardous goods shipments accidents just waiting to happen.” This, Hatesohl added, is true both in the forwarding and transport sectors of the industry. “Often, when we point out to a forwarder that the shipment he is talking about is hazardous cargo, we get replies like: “But it’s only a 50-kilogram parcel”. That sort of ignorance means that we often need to train our clients on the do’s-and-don’ts of moving hazardous goods.” It also adds its own peculiarities to the paperwork chain for the movement of the goods. “You have to be aware that there are different port regulations on hazardous goods all around the world,” said Hatesohl, “and you have to be alert to this when you are moving dangerous goods through those ports.” Antwerp, for example, is a difficult one on dangerous goods. CFR director, Martin Keck, agreed. “The Far East is an area of the world that is highly sensitive to dangerous goods movement.” Singapore - a main transhipment point for cargoes between SA and the Far East - is a prime example, Keck added. “On exports from SA you have to clear with your Singapore principal whether the product is acceptable in that port. “On the import side, one example is Japan’s restriction on accepting a hazardous cargo mix in your groupage container. Even if it’s only one drum of the product, you still have to send it as FCL (full container load) or not at all.” Keck stressed that for most ports in the Far East you need to request, and receive, approval from the relevant authorities before you can even think of moving hazardous goods. “You can’t play games when you are trying to move dangerous goods.”