It has been brought to the Club's attention that several carriers have received bookings disguised as rubber compound where the actual commodity is used tyres.

There are presently hundreds of such containers at discharge ports in China which have been abandoned, leaving the carrier to dispose of the cargo in order to free up the equipment and pursue recovery for the unpaid ocean freight, demurrage and detention from the shipper. 

The club has previously recommended that bookings for used tyres should not be accepted. The high cost to legally dispose of tyres in the US may be an incentive for unscrupulous shippers to try and pass this cost to the carriers in the form of phantom bookings.

The shippers being one step ahead are now disguising the commodity as rubber compound. Due to the high volume of used tyres, the bookings are usually for multiple containers of 10 to 15 or more. We suggest that all booking staff are alerted that all bookings for rubber compound or any rubber related commodity are brought to their booking supervisors attention.

Booking supervisors should investigate whether the shipper is well known and has done business with the line in the past and has rates on file for the commodity and if anything looks suspicious, refuse the booking. 

Chopped tyres also fall under the schedule of the IMSBC Code, and can self heat if contaminated by oily residue and there are further restrictions on the carriage of cargo of this type, cementing further the need for particular care when dealing with the transport of this cargo.

Source of Information:

George Radu

Thomas Miller (Americas)

San Francisco, USA

SanFrancisco.ukclub@thomasmiller.com