Intermodal Europe – postponed to November 2022
The organisers of Intermodal Europe have announced that this year’s Event has been rescheduled from 2021 to 8-10 November 2022. The COA stand at the event and the proposed COA meeting consequently been postponed too.

“Much of the world is making great progress in recovering from the impact of the pandemic, with many live and hybrid events taking place successfully once again,” says Rob Fisher, Group Director – Intermodal Events. “However, after consultation with key industry stakeholders, it is clear that – in order to deliver a successful, internationally accessible Intermodal Europe – the right decision is to wait until 2022.”

COA Work Group Meetings
With no Intermodal Europe taking place this year, the COA will not be organising a “physical” Members Meeting in 2021. However, we will be continuing to organise Work Group Meetings and other Webinars, covering industry developments and offering a chance to review progress with COA projects.

Potential topics are: Coatings for Reefer Containers; Reefer Machinery Telematics; Harmonisation of CEDEX codes; Flexitanks: Recycling and Depot Code of Practice; Container Floors.

Members wishing to present during a Webinar or Work Group Meeting – or who would like to
raise other topics for a WG Meeting – should contact the Secretariat (secretary@containerownersassociation.org)

Container Census & Leasing Annual Report 2021/22
Drewry has recently published its “Container Census & Leasing Annual Report 2021/22” – its annual review and forecast of the global container equipment fleet. This is now available to purchase online.

Based on a census of fleet owners – and including a diverse range of forecasts unique to Drewry – this report provides in-depth analysis and expert commentary “not found elsewhere”. Alongside the /pdf full report, all report tables, charts and graphs are provided in MS Excel.

Further information about the Census, click here: DREWRY CENSUS
To view the contents of the CENSUS, click here: DREWRY CENSUS CONTENTS

Reefer Coatings transition update
The joint action by manufacturers of Reefer Containers in China, to transition from high VOC solvent-based protective coating materials to waterborne coatings (as discussed in COA Technical Briefings and the recent COA webinar) is reported to be progressing as planned – although in some cases slightly later than the announced July schedule.

With a surge of orders for reefers in 2021, prior to the shutdown of the production lines to install the capital equipment requird for the now coating systems, there has been a delay in the transition process.

Updated COA Flexitank Code of Practice
The current COA Code of Practice for Flexitank Manufacturers and Operators has undergone a review – incorporating updates together with a format revision, to permit ease of reference.

The revised  version TG07 will be available for download later this month from the COA website.

A Chinese language version is currently being prepared and will be added to the COA website in the coming weeks.

Flexitank Service Providers – COA Code of Practice planned
It is additionally proposed to prepare a Code of Practice for Service Providers – specifically depots that provide installation, dismantling and recycling facilities. Work is underway with the completion schedule in the  coming months.

Companies interested in contributing should contact: technical@containerownersassociation.org

Flexitank Quality List (FQL)
The Flexitank Quality List is regularly updated with new audit data, replacing the time expired quality audits. Members are reminded that they should forward audit certificates to the technical secretary. They should also note that delays in providing audits could result in removal of the company’s FQL entry.

View the FQL at this link FLEXITANK QUALITY LIST.

CIG calls for risk-based measures to prevent contamination…
The COA is member of the Cargo Integrity Group (other members are: the World Shipping Council, ICHCA International, the Global Shippers Forum and the TT Club.

The CIG is calling for urgent action from actors in global supply chains to reduce the risk of pest transference through international cargo movements.

To view the full announcement, click HERE

…and publishes “CTU Code Quick Guide” in all six IMO languages
In striving for greater awareness and usage of the CTU Code – to improve safety in the intermodal supply chain – the CIG has published its Quick Guide to the Code, and its accompanying Container Packing Checklist, in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

The production of a Quick Guide to the IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code), along with a Checklist of actions required of those packing cargo in freight containers, is pivotal to achieving safe and secure transport.

To download the Guide in its six languages, click HERE.

Reminder: COA Technical Reports, Publications and Presentations
Members are reminded that they can download all COA Reports and Presentations from the COA website. The following have been published this year:

COA Reefer Telematics Interoperability Standard
The COA has published an open standard Reefer Data Classification Scheme, supported by an open source Unified Data Model (UDM), permitting interoperability of telematics device data from the industry’s leading container refrigeration machinery manufacturers.

To download a copy of the UDM, click HERE

COA Reefer Coatings Transition – Technical Briefing Report
The COA has published a Technical Guidelines Document (TG-07) for COA Members, providing information about the transition of coatings applied to reefer containers, commencing July 2021

This document provides a summary of the changes, together with information about the testing that has been undertaken by the IICL.

To download a copy, click HERE.

COA Flexitank Code of Practice TG-07
The existing COA Flexitank Code of Practice for manufacturers and operators has undergone a review, incorporating updates and editing the format for ease of reference. The new version will be published later this month.

Webinar Presentations
Three Webinars have been organised the COA this year, on the following topics:

– Flexitanks: Recycling and Testing
– Reefer Telematics UDM
– Reefer Coatings Transition

Members may download copies of the presentations, click HERE.