Handling of dangerous goods in global trade

Peregrine Storrs-Fox, of the TT Club, is concerned a lack of emphasis on the safe handling of dangerous goods, epitomised by the dramatic explosion in the Chinese port of Tianjin last year, is leading to increased risk in global trade


There have inevitably been a number of differing assessments of the impact of the explosions at Tianjin last August, but a valuable analysis was provided earlier this year within a broader Swiss Re “sigma” report (No 1/2016). This report states that Tianjin was the biggest insured loss of the year, with property loss estimated at between US$2.5 billion and $3.5 billion and approaching 200 fatalities. The official Chinese report speaks of the destruction of more than 12,000 vehicles and 7,500 freight containers, together with significant further damage up to 5 km away.