Cargo theft in the EMEA region has significantly decreased during the pandemic as companies prioritize supply chain resilience. Marine Loss Control service plays a pivotal role in preventing cargo damage.
Cargo thefts from trucks left in unclassified parking locations in Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region have reduced dramatically since the pandemic as companies take more proactive action to protect the resilience of their supply chains.
“Overall cargo crime in the EMEA region is continuing to rise year-over-year, but when you look at recorded incident data provided by the industry, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders since 2018, there is a clear and accelerating downward trend in the number of cargo crimes taking place in unclassified parking places," says Torsten Neumann, President & CEO of Transported Asset Protection Association in region Europe, Middle East & Africa (TAPA EMEA).
According to reports from TAPA EMEA, in 2019, 53.4% of the 12,259 recorded incidents in the region occurred in unclassified parking areas. In 2022, this figure dropped to only 6.72% of the 12,378 cases, and for the 10,698 cargo crimes reported in 2023 so far, less than 4.6% were reported in unclassified parking areas.
"This trend is not accidental. Thanks to awareness activities of organizations such as TAPA, this risk, which many clients are still not aware of, can be reduced to a tangible extent," explains Pavel Kadlečík, Marine Manager at Colonnade Insurance in the Czech Republic.
Pavel speaks from his own experience, as Colonnade actively contributes to preventing cargo damage through a comprehensive service called Marine Loss Control. He adds, "while our reach may not match TAPA's, our clients and the companies we engage with, primarily through brokerage firms, are increasingly conscious of the risks associated with transportation. They are aware of potential issues in unguarded parking lots and seek ways to mitigate these risks."
There is a great shortage of quality guarded parking lots in Europe. When it is necessary to comply with the provisions of the AETR convention (European Agreement concerning the work of crews of vehicles engaged in international road transport), it is often difficult for truck drivers to find such a safe place to park. The association of car carriers Česmad Bohemia often draws attention to this fact as well.
It is then upon the exporters and importers of goods prone to theft, but not only those, to keep these aspects in mind and properly plan the transport in cooperation with their transport suppliers. "Colonnade's cargo insurance naturally covers this risk. Nevertheless, some companies do not address this problem through prevention or insurance and rely solely on the carrier's liability insurance. They often find themselves unpleasantly surprised when they receive either no compensation or only a limited amount in case of claim," Pavel concludes.