TT Live

With some 90% of world trade transported by sea, coupled with the logistics challenges of Covid-19 and emerging new trends in cybercrime, the importance of cyber security in the supply chain has never been more critical.

An interesting case displaying the potential financial disparity between jurisdictions where more recent protocols – or even conventions – are not adopted or implemented, echoing a recent International Group call to increase certainty and consistency of outcome. 

Improper packing of bulk grain cargo can lead to the distortion of the container, compromising structural integrity, spillage of contents, contamination, and injury to workers when opening container doors.

Calls for intrusive inspections of import and export freight to counter the risks of invasive pests in cargo and containers risk disrupting trade more severely than either COVID-19 or the Suez blockage.

In the final episode of the series, Mike Yarwood, TT's Managing Director Loss Prevention, talks once again to David Thompson of Signum Services.  As cargo is widely considered to be most at risk when it is at rest, the key topic for discussion this week is secure parking for trucks. Mike and David discuss the barriers to adoption for both drivers and truck stop providers across the globe in t...

One of the less apparent consequences of the pandemic has been a noticeable increase in drug trafficking exploiting the maritime supply chain. No entity welcomes the embarrassment, almost certain cost and potential reputational damage. What to do?

With business transactions and communication handled almost exclusively online these days, there is increased risk of fraud in the fast-paced digital environment, making due diligence more critical than ever.

In this week's episode, Mike Yarwood, Managing Director Loss Prevention, talks to David Fairnie of BSI Supply Chain Services and Solutions about the security threat posed by the insider.  While difficult to evidence, there is often suspicion in cargo theft incidents of a degree of insider involvement - sometimes it's just too much of a coincidence that the thieves knew exactly which truck to...

In this week's episode, Mike Yarwood, Managing Director Loss Prevention, talks to David Thompson of Signum Services about the cargo theft strategies that are most commonly used by thieves.  Strategies discussed include: round the corner theft, Romanian rollover theft, staged incidents and "blue light" crime. This episode will outline these strategies, how they work in practice and how stakeho...

In episode three of TT's supply chain security podcast, Mike Yarwood talks again to David Thompson about depot security and how to mitigate the risk of theft. Depots are a critical node in supply chains all over the world. Such locations might function as an operating centre for trucks, trailers and containers, a temporary storage facility as well as a secure area to park vehicles. For those with...

In this weeks episode, Mike Yarwood, TT's Managing Director Loss Prevention, and David Thompson of Signum Services, drill down into the subject of fraud and how individuals and organised criminal gangs pose as legitimate companies to access and steal cargo. After all, fraud knows no geographical boundaries and is deployed by criminals the world over. 

The risk of abandoned cargo is hardly new; every year the delay or failure of a consignee to collect cargo costs the industry significant time and money. Now it's costing lives.

With climate change increasingly impacting port operations and infrastructure every year, costs resulting from unpredictable storm damage are set to rise, putting port authorities and terminal operators at increasing risk.

This is the first episode in a series of six focused on supply chain security, in particular cargo theft and related crimes. In this interview series we will consider a range of risks including fraud, depot security, common theft strategies and the threat posed by the insider. In this first session, Mike is joined by David Thompson, Signum Services (the in-house investigative arm of Thomas Miller)...

An interesting English law reminder of the reach of the ancient principles of general average (GA). In this instance the cause is piracy, but the case involved the interfaces between differing contracts and sharing risk – both by way of insurance and GA.

There are dots to be joined between freight crime and societal challenges, such as those related to narcotics, people trafficking and terrorism. It is time to take concerted action.

Stakeholders in the global freight supply chain can easily become victims of fraud - notably carrier fraud and procurement fraud – especially in today’s digital business environment that enables fraudsters to transact with reduced risk of getting caught.

While not responsible for the arrangement of cross border freight, ports and terminals in both Great Britain (GB) and the European Union (EU) are critical nodes in the international supply chain. Handling the freight at the point of export or import and in some cases becoming the border control post (BCP). The three-phase model to import changes adopted in GB means that while some changes took aff...

While devastating fires on trucks and trailers can start in several ways, some 65% are caused by issues related to the wheel and brake assembly area, according to TT Club's claims analysis data for 2019.

An interesting case from Singapore, in circumstances where no formal contractual relationship had been formed. It acts as a reminder that it is always prudent for all parties to a transaction are certain of the terms that will apply and ensure that formalities are followed.

Change to the way containerised cargo is entered into the supply chain is critical - as well as how it's loaded on board ships. When cargo of any kind is incorrectly declared and packed, it can lead to catastrophic ship fires at sea. Poor packing not only leads to tragic loss of life, but is estimated to cost the industry more than USD6 billion each year.

The importance and impact of careful drafting of contracts is exemplified in this UK Supreme Court decision. While the ruling brings clarity to English law, it represents congruence with other jurisdictions. It is most prudent to be deliberate in documenting law and jurisdiction choices in contracts.

Much of the world has experienced a year like no other and it seems that elements of life remain hung over despite the transition to 2021. As expectations run high that the world can overcome the pandemic, it might be time to consider ‘COVID-keeps’.

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors are increasingly considered by businesses in the context of identifying both risks and opportunities for growth. Inevitably, as the world enters 2021, businesses will be looking back at the experiences through 2020 and reviewing systems and processes. Contingencies and resilience have in the last year proved fundamental to survival. However, the...

A critical stakeholder in the cross border movement of freight is the road haulier. The many items we as a society take for granted simply would not be available without this often-overlooked stakeholder. Virtually every item of freight at some point in the supply chain has been transported by truck. Whether over an international journey or the final mile delivery, the importance of the road haula...