www.bulk-distributor.com BULKEst. 1990 DISTRIBUTORNovember/December 2013 Your single information source for bulk and semi-bulk logistics 5BOL$POUBJOFSTt'MFYJUBOLTt*#$Tt%SVNTt'*#$Tt#VML-JOFSTt3PBE5BOLFSTt-PBEJOH#BHHJOHt#VML-PHJTUJDTt$MFBOJOH3FQBJS%FQPUTt$PNQPOFOUT IN THIS ISSUE French government forced to Container Packing 2 Shipper 3 suspend écotaxe FIBCs 4 he French government has been forced Tonce again to postpone the IBCs 8 implementation of a tax on heavy good vehicles (HGVs), known as the ‘écotaxe’. Depot Services 10 After previous delays due to ‘technical issues’ the écotaxe was scheduled to be introduced on 1 Tank Containers 13 January 2014. However, violent protests by hauliers, especially ANNUAL REVIEW: 17 in the Brittany region, provoked Prime Minister Flexitanks & Bulk Liners Jean-Marc Ayrault to delay its introduction for an indefinite period. He emphasised the scheme was Dry Bulk Handling 23 not being abandoned but “time was required to make adjustments to it”. Logistics 24 Ecotaxe is supposed to apply to all goods transport vehicles over 3.5 tonnes using the Terminals & Storage 26 15,000km of the French national road network (N roads). Motorway users – lorries and cars - already Managing Editor pay tolls through the péage system. Neil Madden The tax is calculated on a kilometric rate that France’s main road haulage federations have been saying for months that the implementation date was unrealistic [email protected] varies according to the vehicle category and can be modulated according to the vehicle’s pollution record the information needed to define the France’s main road haulage federations have Tel: +33 (0)3 88 60 30 68 level (EURO class). The 2014 charging categories vehicle’s Ecotaxe base. To fit an OBU and comply been saying for months that the implementation Advertising Director currently suggested are: 8.8 cents €/km for the with the regulations, the user liable for tax should date was “unrealistic” because there was not Anne Williams first category (2 axles less than 12 tonnes); 11.11 register the relevant vehicle with the French enough time to complete the registration of [email protected] cents €/km for the second category (2 axles of 12 authorities. vehicles. Tel: +44 (0)20 854 13130 tonnes and more, 3 axles); 15.4 cents €/km for Postponing the tax is a setback for France’s Food and farming industry interests maintain Features Editor the third category (4 axles or more). finance ministry which is desperately trying to that the higher transport costs cannot be Paul Stephen Tax collection is based on an electronic on-board plug a yawning gap in the public coffers. It was to absorbed by operators and so will inevitably be [email protected] unit (OBU) installed inside the vehicles. All HGVs have generated annual revenue of €1.2 billion, of passed through to retail prices at a time when the liable for tax and travelling through France must which around €240 million would have been paid government is also under pressure for stagnant Tel: +44 (0)1565 653283 be fitted with an OBU that will automatically to the company administering the scheme. real incomes and purchasing power. Publishing Assistant Rachel Fehily [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1565 653283 © Ashley & Dumville Publishing Ltd Bayer contract for Log4Chem Bulk Distributor is published by oint venture 4PL provider Log4Chem has optimisation” of the transport network necessary Ashley & Dumville Publishing Ltd Jsigned a letter of intent with Bayer for carrying out this job. “Continual improvement Caledonian House, Tatton Street, Knutsford, Material Science as a result of which of transport processes will be a focus here. This Cheshire WA16 6AG, United Kingdom Log4Chem will take over the management of includes measures to pave the way for increasing www.bulk-distributor.com bulk polyether transport throughout Europe. productivity from both human resources and Bayer Material Science, part of the Bayer group, transport equipment involved,” read a Log4Chem is one of the world’s leading producers of basic statement. materials. The start of operation for the strategic This big contract is an important milestone for ANNUAL REVIEW IN THE NEXT ISSUE partnership between the two is slated for the Log4Chem, whose stakeholders are Bertschi, De second quarter of 2014. Initially, the contract has Rijke Group and Hoyer, in reinforcing its position Road Tankers been agreed to run for four years. as a 4PL supplier in the field of chemical In addition to taking over operative responsibility transport in the regions of Europe, Africa and the To advertise or contribute please email for transport management, Log4Chem will also Middle East. [email protected] take charge of the “tactical and strategic 2 BULKDISTRIBUTOR Container Packing November/December 2013 Container packing code moves closer to reality n international code of practice for packing containers identified a need to update its guidelines on the packing and negligence. But the problem cited was one of evidence: in a marine Aand other cargo transport units (CTUs) is closer. securing of dangerous goods, after several high-profile maritime accident, how can an insurer prove that the insured party was at At a seminar in London in October, organised by the International accidents involving dangerous goods on containerships, such as the fault? Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association (ICHCA), delegates were MSC Flaminia. The vessel had to be abandoned by its crew in July One delegate asked whether shipping lines were also at fault. He brought up to date on the progress of the tri-partite code, which is 2012 in the middle of the Atlantic after a series of fires broke out in suggested they only question whether the shipment contains being formulated by a working group of the International Maritime containers which could have been caused by dangerous goods that dangerous goods. Carriers are highly motivated to make sure a Organization – the industry body that chaired the IMO’s working had not been declared on the manifest by shippers. container meets its designated sailing, and so want to avoid group on the container weighing amendments to the Safety of Life Further discussions with officials from the ILO established that the stripping a container’s contents and then repacking them. at Sea (SOLAS) regulations. problem of poor packing, and the implications for safety throughout A further point made was that even large multinational shippers The guidelines follow awareness recognition that the way cargo is the supply chain, went beyond dangerous goods. have for the most part drastically reduced the level of technical packed and secured within containers and other CTUs can be “It soon became apparent that all sorts of things were going expertise available in their logistics functions. Thirty years ago it was critically important to safe carriage, in fact just as important as the wrong that shouldn’t,” he said. “Our research began to uncover said, major chemical companies, might have had technically- weight of the cargo. worrying information. Only 23 percent of the industry participants qualified cargo managers to oversee the shipment of products, but Transport mutual insurer the TT Club and other organisations have we surveyed were aware of the IMO’s guidelines, and only 15 the rise and rise of containerisation has largely rendered those highlighted that poor CTU packing and securing is responsible for an percent were actually using them. More widely used was individual functions seemingly redundant. alarmingly high percentage of incidents along the transport chain, shipping line guidance to customers, or the Health & Safety “The key stakeholders agreed that the revision (of the previous leading to damage, loss, injuries and even fatalities. TT Club’s own Executive’s road haulage guidelines in the UK.” guidelines) should focus on transparency and ease of use, rather claims experience shows that 65 percent of incidents involving loss TT Club’s Peregrine Storrs-Fox said the problem of poor CTU than taking a regulatory approach,” said Chris Welsh. “There was a or damage to cargo are thought to be caused by poor or improper packing has been around for decades and the Club and other common recognition that what we didn’t want was a whole new set packing and securing. The ocean carriers’ Cargo Information insurers have published advisory notices and pamphlets on previous of complex regulations. Notification System (CINS) has also revealed that some 35 percent of occasions to try and raise awareness of the problem. However, “The chief reason for this is to be found in why this problem exists incidents investigated relate to poorly or incorrectly packed Storrs-Fox noted that the scale of the problem has changed not least today: because there is a lack of knowledge right through the supply containers. due to the rapid rise of container vessel size, with the latest ones chain. Go back a few decades, and companies such as Unilever The new code of practice is the result of a tri-partite working carrying as many as 18,000 TEU. would employ 30 people in its shipping department who had in- group, set up by the IMO in conjunction with the International Thus, just one poorly-packed container on such a vessel could depth knowledge of how to pack cargo. Today most companies Labour Organisation (ILO) and the UN Economic Commission for potentially cause damage or loss to several hundred or even several have just a few people in a logistics department.” Europe (UNECE), which organises international road transport. thousand containers located near to it. The consensus was that once the Code is published the important The code will be far more comprehensive than the original He also suggested that there could be an attitude of indifference thing will be to communicate its existence and principal guidelines as international packing guidelines published by the same three among some shippers or even the sentiment that the insurer has to widely as possible.