Cargo safety innovators honoured

The awards, organised by the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) and supported by TT Club, highlight practical technologies and training programmes designed to tackle persistent safety challenges in terminals and logistics facilities.

ICHCA chief executive Richard Steele said the standard of entries reflected an industry under pressure to improve. “Each of these winning innovations represents a genuine breakthrough in addressing critical safety challenges in cargo handling operations,” he said, adding that better use of data and clearer separation between people and machinery ‘have the potential to effect real change and ultimately save lives’.

German sensor specialist SICK won in the ‘Turning data into insight’ category for its multiScan100-S, described as the first safety-certified 3D LiDAR sensor capable of detecting obstacles through rain, fog and dust. The system is intended to allow automated container handling equipment to operate at speed without triggering false alarms.

In the ‘Learning and engaging’ category, the UK’s Active Training Team was recognised for Thrive, an immersive safety leadership centre which uses actors and realistic scenarios to challenge workers to intervene in unsafe situations.

Engineering firm SIBRE took the award for ‘New ways to make operations physically safer’ with its Snag Load Protection system, designed to detect dangerous crane load snags before tension builds.

Meanwhile, Long Beach Container Terminal was honoured for an overhead load protection system that prevents cranes from passing above ground personnel in its rail yard.

TT Club managing director, loss prevention, Mike Yarwood, said the challenge now is scaling such ideas across global supply chains.