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Dangerous goods: Training must be

held to a higher standard

Courtesy Freight News
STAYING UP to date with regulations around the risk factors that cannot be completely excluded.
movement of dangerous goods is not just complex, Transportation of dangerous goods requires the
it’s downright daunting, says Willie Nel, Managing most stringent safety measures and may negatively
Director of ZacPak. “Regulatory compliance is critical affect environment, human health and material
to an organisation’s ability to maintain a smooth possessions.” Nels says that nowadays insufficient
supply chain. Yet with growing volumes and types attention is paid to domestic routes along which
of dangerous goods, increasingly complex supply dangerous goods are being transported. “In most
chains and more extensive regulations, many industry cases, the shortest route is selected without
professionals are finding it challenging to do their evaluating the possible consequences of an accident.
jobs effectively and efficiently,” he says. Transportation of dangerous goods requires
“While carrying dangerous goods, there is a special and constantly updated knowledge that
risk of an incident due to the fault of other traffic is relevant to all of participants in the process –
participants, climatic conditions, badly chosen consignors, loaders, warehouse workers, carriers and
packaging materials or lack of marking. In the consignees. Special attention should be given to their
transportation of this cargo, it is impossible to avoid training and development,” says Nel.
risk; however, it is possible to manage and reduce risk Regarding technology, Nel says that automation
to a minimum,” he says. in some form is part of the process to support
“Transport is always associated with human operations. “It boils down to a clear set of data
that provides a clear view of the big picture while
identifying bottlenecks, risks and a lack of resources,”
he says.
“You want to simplify and support the process,
not overcomplicate it. “Whether you’re transporting
dangerous goods by sea, road, rail or air, the human
factor is ever present. This has been identified in
several studies as one of the main risk culprits when
evaluating potential issues in transporting dangerous
goods.” •

US opens new ports to SA citrus exports

Courtesy www.bizcommunity.com
THE UNITED States government has announced
the opening up of several new ports for the import
of citrus products from South Africa, further
facilitating two-way trade with South Africa. The US
Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service published a final notice in the US
Federal Register on 5 November, approving the use
of additional ports options for SA citrus growers.
Previously, the South African citrus industry was Justin Chadwick, CEO of the South African
limited to only four ports and had long sought access Citrus Growers Association, says, “The opening up
to other US ports. Now exports will be allowed to of all ports to South African citrus fruits means that
any US port that has cold storage facilities, including this high quality fruit can now reach many more
the strategically important ports of Charleston, South consumers in the United States. We would like to
Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. thank all those who made this possible, including
US Ambassador to SA Lana Marks says, “The the US Embassy and the South African Embassy in
opening of these new ports of destination for citrus, Washington.”
a move the US Mission in South Africa has been In 2020, according to Summer Citrus from South
advocating for, will help facilitate trade between our Africa, South Africa shipped a record amount of over
two countries, providing flexibility to US retailers 77,000 tons of citrus to the US, 68 percent more than
and wholesalers, lowering transportation costs and in 2019. South African farmers ship citrus duty free
broadening the reach of South African citrus to other to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity
regions within the US market.” Act (AGOA) trade preference programme. •

October/November 2020 | Logistics News 29