ITIC News

ONLINE LEARNING TOOL - THE RISKS INVOLVED WITH BILLS OF LADING

ITIC has developed its first online training tool, “The risks involved with bills of lading".

ITIC’s Claims Director, Andrew Jamieson, narrates a presentation which takes the listener through different scenarios through the life of a ship agent’s involvement with a bill of lading – from the initial stages of issuing the bill to the final delivery of the cargo. Aspects covered include misdating bills, shipped on board, description of cargo and on deck/under deck cargo. The presentation includes two ITIC circulars “Guidelines for the release of cargo” and “Issuing switch bills of lading” and concludes with ten questions that allow the user to test their knowledge.

Anyone whose daily work involves bills of lading should have a look at this new tool and you can provide your feedback to ITIM’s marketing director, Charlotte Kirk via e-mail: itic@thomasmiller.com.

INSTITUTE STANDARD TRADING CONDITIONS - 2007

ITIC has reviewed the ICS Trading Conditions and an ISPS clause has been included. The opportunity has been taken to update the conditions to meet present legal guidelines. The revised terms have been fully approved and are now available on application from Federation@ics.org.uk These Conditions are copyright and their use is restricted to company members and professional members acting as sole traders of Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

ITIC'C CLAY PIGEON SHOOT

On one of the very few dry days of July 2007, ITIC held its annual corporate shooting day at the West London Shooting School. Insurance brokers from across the UK joined Graham Taylor, Alistair Mactavish, Kevin Sandom and Stuart Munro of ITIM to either learn or fine-tune their shooting skills.

After a hearty breakfast, guns were loaded and clay pigeon traps set as the four teams set off under the watchful eye of their instructors. Throughout the day, each ‘Gun’ shot at over 100 clay pigeons under the tuition of some of the finest shots in the world, before the more serious competition took place. ITIC’s Graham Taylor was awarded the title of ‘High Gun’ after shooting 44 of the 48 clays on offer. Matthew Ellis of Marsh was a close second.

Even though the majority of people awoke the next morning with bruised shoulders from recoil of the 12 bore shotguns, everyone that attended the shoot thoroughly enjoyed the day.

SUCCESS IN ICS EXAMINATIONS

Congratulations are due to Robert Sniffen and Graham Taylor of ITIM on passing the examinations leading to membership of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

The 2007 examinations of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers showed another year on year increase in the number of papers sat by students around the world.

The Institute remains unique in its ability to examine and award Chartered Shipbroker status in line with its Royal Charter. Founded in 1911, the ICS received its Royal Charter in 1920 and a supplemental Charter in 1984 opening up the way for international membership. Today, the ICS is the only internationally recognised professional body, representing shipbrokers, ship managers and agents throughout the world.

With 23 Branches in key shipping areas, 3500 individuals and 120 company members, ICS membership represents commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards across the shipping industry. The Institute was founded in the UK and has both strong European links and an increasing presence in Asia, Africa, North America and Australasia.

A major provider of education and training, the ICS sets and examines the syllabus for membership providing the shipping industry with highly qualified professionals. Through its learning programme, Tutorship, the ICS also runs a series of training courses, providing specialised knowledge for a range of personnel at all levels in the shipping industry. In addition it has a strong track record in preparing bespoke training packages for individual shipping and shipping related companies.

ITIC is delighted to be associated with, and assist, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

FIXTURE FOUL-UPS

On 8th May 2007, ITIC sponsored an evening at the Baltic Exchange on the pitfalls facing shipbrokers. Drawing on the Club's 80 year experience of assisting shipbrokers, Andrew Jamieson, Claims Director of ITIM and author of “Shipbrokers and the Law” and Chris Arnold, an Account Executive at ITIM and former shipbroker, spoke about the issues which shipbrokers should be aware of during negotiations, and it was apt that they addressed the subject in the spiritual home of shipbroking.

The main types of negligence and authority issues were explained, and examples of the most common types of claim were discussed. But these are only two aspects of the dangers faced by shipbrokers in the modern world. Shipbrokers ' lifeblood is the commission they earn, and Andrew and Chris gave advice on how to help ensure that they are paid what they are owed, including availing themselves of the debt collection service offered by the Club. The presentation also addressed how to reduce the chances of falling foul of the laws concerning fraud, money laundering and defamation, and how the Club can help if problems arise.