Seaborne invasive pests have potentially devastating consequences for agriculture and the natural environment. TT Club believes all involved in intermodal cargo movements need to be aware of their responsibilities to tighten biosecurity. An IPPC* Workshop, free to all interested parties takes place in London (19-20 September). Industry representatives must register by 31 July.

TT Club recognises the vital importance of focussing on the threat of invasive pests to natural resources across the world, and of the urgency in crafting effective and proportionate risk reduction measures that address the situation. The freight transport insurer is issuing a call for action, encouraging those involved in the intermodal supply chain in whatever capacity to help guide international regulators and create pragmatic working practices to minimise the dangers while allowing international trade to continue to flow.

“Industry players of all types have a great opportunity to be part of responsible efforts to mitigate the serious concerns over possible infestation via contaminated seaborne intermodal freight vectors,” comments TT’s Peregrine Storrs-Fox. “The ‘International workshop on reducing the introduction of pests through the sea container pathway’, being held over two days in London in September, could be a significant part of that opportunity. We would encourage as many of those involved in the packing, transporting, handling and providing containers for export to attend. Your registration is required urgently by 31 July.”

Your registration is required urgently by 31 July

The workshop will take place from 19 to 20 September 2022, at Queen Elizabeth II Centre, London, United Kingdom. Participation is free of charge.

The efficient movement of sea containers through a complex and time-sensitive global supply chain involves over 240 million container moves each year. Clearly, any regulatory requirements that might further add to these complexities could have negative consequences beyond any benefits to pest control. Therefore over the last several years, the IPPC and partners have been working together to examine practical measures to restrict dangerous pest transfers via the container trades.

The Sea Container Task Force (SCTF) was established to collect existing data from countries, and consider the issue. Its report was concluded at the beginning of this year and this workshop is the next step in discussing the recommendations it made.

“Detail of the Workshop’s objectives and expected outcomes are outlined on the IPPC website as indicated above, however it is hoped, above all that the proposed measures enjoy a full airing and undergo comprehensive debate,” comments Storrs-Fox. “It is vital that all involved, such as container lines, container manufacturers, freight forwarders, packers, shippers (both exporters and importers), port authorities and terminal operators are consulted.”

It is hoped, above all that the proposed measures enjoy a full airing and undergo comprehensive debate

Any targeted measures that come into force via international regulations need to be effective in dealing with the issue of pest contamination of both containers and their cargoes, but they should do so in a way that achieves risk reduction with minimal impact on container logistics.

*The international Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an international convention, signed by over 180 countries and governed by the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, part of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Source: TT Club