Major classification society, insurer and port operator confirmed to join other industry experts at educational seminar in Las Palmas ICHCA International, the NGO association for the global cargo handling industry, will be holding a technical seminar in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands on 11 March. The seminar will take place after ICHCA’s 73rd ISP Technical Panel meeting, also taking place in Las Palmas from 9 – 10 March. The growing scale and scope of container operations worldwide, not least as the result of larger vessels being introduced both in mature and emerging markets, is accompanied by new and heightened risks both at sea and on land. Following on from recent educational and regulatory efforts on container packing, lashing and securing and weight verification – three key risk areas for maritime supply chains today – ICHCA’s one-day seminar in Las Palmas, ‘Managing Risk in Container Operations,’ will provide updates and best practice examples on mitigating risks to people, cargo and equipment in modern container operations. Recent national studies confirm there are still large numbers of serious accidents affecting the logistics sector, all very costly to repair and sometimes leading to service failure. Incidents involving injury, often fatal, to personnel are also commonplace. An expert panel of speakers during the day includes Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director of TT Club, who will lend an insurer’s perspective on risks in container operations, and Laurence Jones, Director of Global Risk at TT Club, who will lead a session on safety of pedestrians and mobile equipment container terminals. As a leading insurer to the international transport and logistics industry, TT Club’s customers include major shipping lines, ports and terminals, and freight forwarders. John Mace, Systems Manager for the International Group of P&I Clubs, will also review the changing face of liabilities for cargo and containers. From the ports and terminals sector, Jorgé Martín Diaz de Espada, Health, Safety and Procurement Manager at Noatum Ports and Maritime - one of Iberia’s leading port operators – will discuss some solutions to tackle the safety risks of working at height. Geoff Holden, Chief Executive at the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association, will assess global lifting equipment standards. Turning to vessels, David Tozer, Business Manager - Containers at major classification society Lloyd’s Register, will look at issues with safe container lashing and securing. ICHCA’s technical seminar follows the 73rd meeting of the association’s ISP Technical Panel, which takes place 9-10 February at Las Palmas Port Authority. The meeting will bring together experts and key players from across the cargo handling industry to address technical and safety developments affecting container handling operations. Key topics on the ISP agenda will include container weighing requirements, working at height and operational safety at the ship-shore interface. The ISP meeting is open to ISP members, ICHCA members and invited guests. The Technical Seminar is open to members and non-members alike.