BOW WAVE 155

Trucking Edition

news and views on trade, insurance and risk

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(c)2002 WavyLine.com	Issue No 155 11 Nov 02
Published free of charge to Readers
Editor: Sam Ignarski
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In this issue:

1. Welcome
2. Haulage Crime in the UK
3. Driver Screening On-Line Workshop
4. Capital Stretched Exemplar
5. So That's That Then
6. And Finally...

1. Welcome

Our next issue will mark three completed years of Bow Wave.

Any Reader who feels moved in any way to contribute should not tarry in the least. Articles satirical or practical are highly welcome.

Your editor is off to Australia to speak at the AusIntermodal Conference in Melbourne. stopping in various places en route.

Technology willing, we will publish the next edition on the road, hoping to meet a few Readers in passing.

New Readers this week include:

Lawyer Electra Panayotopoulos of Hill Taylor Dickinson Broker Clive Redhead at Miller
Namir Khanbabi of the Transglobal group
Lawyer Ben Browne at Shaw and Croft
Claims broker Lorraine S Wenn at Heath Lambert
Salvage broker Martin Hutton of Marint
Julian Thorogood of Swires in London
Richard Fistrovic of Intersea in Peru
David Bertram MSC Fleet Safety Officer in Durban
Australian Academic John Foster
Australian Academic Robin Bourne
Sharon Gill of ShipNet Asia in Singapore
Marine Manager Chris Milne at Allied Underwriting Agencies Insurance Reporter Michael Faulkner at Insurance Times Edwin Wong of Ace Shipping Consultancy in Singapore

News of Readers

Bridget Hogan, the journalist and PR maven has just joined Impress Communications.

Andrew Hughes, the Richards Butler solicitor based for many years in Hong Kong,China now lives in Stevenage,England.

Contact him at:

ASH@richardsbutler

Rather a lot on the nitty gritty end of the industry this week, as well as on haulage.

Enjoy.

2. Haulage Crime in the UK

We have received extracts from a publication called Professional Security which features the subject of transport theft in the UK within the context of the Road Haulage Association Security Seminar in Birmingham on 18 September 2002.

According to John Abbot, the Director General of the UK's National Criminal Intelligence Service:

There is no doubt that the freight industry is used and abused by organised crime...by way of criminal freight companies and corrupt employees - whether drivers, despatchers or loaders. Some haulage criminals are opportunists. Reported lorry load thefts are on the increase, he said, adding that reports are the tip of the iceberg. Such crime is increasingly sophisticated, targeting higher value loads, either thanks to corruption of staff or careless talk. He gave an example of theft of aluminium ingots last year, which suggested front companies were handling such stolen goods - allowing money laundering,and providing funds for more crime. High-value goods targeted include computer chips, and mobile phones; also targets are clothing, and cigarettes, which are easy to sell. Criminals, like legal retailers, respond to demand; hence thefts of alcohol and toys go up in the run-up to Christmas. "We do have a number of identified hotspots which we all ought to keep in mind: West Midlands, West Yorkshire,Staffordshire, Thames Valley, Greater Manchester and Essex account for more than half of all reported incidents in the last year".

For further details on the magazine:

http://www.professionalsecurity.co.uk/index.asp

3. Driver Screening On-Line Workshop

About Logistics Moderator Jeff Ashcroft writes:

Join us on Tuesday November 12th at 2:30 pm eastern standard time (GMT-5) for a special on-line workshop with Mark Tinney of Scheig Associates, sponsored by Fleet Owner magazine

Skyrocketing insurance deductibles and premiums, new security worries and old driver turnover problems are causing many fleets to take a harder look at their hiring practices in order to better control loss and manage costs. You are invited to Join Fleet Owner magazine and special guest, Mark Tinney, president of Scheig Associates, Inc. on Tuesday, November 12 at 2:30 p.m. EST for an exclusive online interview and discussion about how to sort the best drivers from the rest, BEFORE you put them through a costly training program and out on the road in your equipment.

Tinney has spent more than a decade at Scheig, helping truck fleets and other organizations get a handle on their unique employee performance and turnover problems. The company is a recognized leader in developing
job-specific pre-employment assessments that are designed to deliver measurable results.

We think what Tinney has to say may be of great
value to your company, as well. Please be our
guest for this valuable one-hour workshop. Learn
what organizations like Washington Mutual Bank,
Avon, Service Master, Roehl Transport, Inc, and
even the New Orleans Saints have discovered
about job candidate screening.

This special online discussion is available to you at no charge. No registration is required. You do not even have to use your own name to sign in.
You are cordially invited to attend this special event. No registration is required.

Go to:

http://logistics.about.com/library/blmpchatscreen.htm

4. Capital Stretched Exemplar

If there is one example at any one time which stands for the generally awful condition of the insurance industry then that company could well be Royal Sun Alliance in the UK. This week our insurance newsletters were full of reports on how the cash strapped general insurer is going about raising new capital to allow for losses in the areas of asbestos, flood claims and stock market losses. It will try to raise UKP 3.6 billion by selling off units in the United States and the Asia Pacific, and reducing its work force by 10 000 jobs--leaving a work force of 40 000.

The reaction from the stock market analysts seems to have been relief that a rights issue was off the agenda. One question was whether the new slimmed down company would be worth much more that the current share price. Voices also criticised the speed over the ground of the company its underwriting performance and the management skill of its leadership.

Royal & Sun says it will continue to focus on general insurance, where premiums have been rising.It draws attention to a prospective capital surplus of 750 million pounds, and says a reinsurance deal with Munich Re -- whereby the German insurer provides capital and takes a share of profits -- will also help it.

It is interesting to follow how this story has spread around the world. Very quickly, local papers in places where there are substantial RSA operations picked up the story and examined the implications. Readers can see for themselves by searching the new and rather impressive Google news search engine

http://news.google.com/

5. So That's That Then

Bill Lines writes:

The Baltic Exchange issued the following statement today (Friday, 8 November):

On the expiry of the period for exclusive negotiations agreed in heads of terms between the two companies in August, the Exchange has decided not to pursue the purchase of Strategic Software on those provisional terms. No further comment will be made.

6. And Finally.....

Many thanks to Ian Matheson of Impress Communications who forwarded us this spoof customer relations piece. This was, he says, allegedly posted (very briefly) on the McDonnell Douglas Website by an employee there who obviously has a sense of humour. It is--for once--important to read the disclaimer note at the end of the message

________________________

Thank you for purchasing a McDonnell Douglas military aircraft. In order to protect your new investment, please take a few moments to fill out the warranty registration card below. Answering the survey questions is not required, but the information will help us to develop new products that best meet your needs and desires.

1. About you.

[_] Mr.
[_] Mrs.
[_] Ms.
[_] Miss
[_] Lt.
[_] Gen.
[_] Comrade
[_] Classified
[_] Other

First Name: ................................................ Initial: ........
Last Name:................................................... Password: ............................. (max. 8 char) Code Name:............................................... Latitude-Longitude-Altitude: .......... ..........

2. Which model of aircraft did you purchase?

[_] F-14 Tomcat
[_] F-15 Eagle
[_] F-16 Falcon
[_] F-117A Stealth
[_] Classified

3. Date of purchase (Year/Month/Day): 20.. /......./.....

4. Serial Number:.........................................

5. Please indicate where this product was purchased:

[_] Received as gift / aid package
[_] Catalogue / showroom
[_] Independent arms broker
[_] Mail order
[_] Discount store
[_] Government surplus
[_] Classified

6. Please indicate how you became aware of the McDonnell Douglas product you have just purchased:

[_] Heard loud noise, looked up
[_] Store display
[_] Espionage
[_] Recommended by friend / relative / ally
[_] Political lobbying by manufacturer
[_] Was attacked by one

7. Please indicate the three (3) factors that most influenced your decision to purchase this McDonnell Douglas product:

[_] Style / appearance
[_] Speed / manoeuvrability
[_] Price / value
[_] Comfort / convenience
[_] Kickback / bribe
[_] Recommended by salesperson
[_] McDonnell Douglas reputation
[_] Advanced Weapons Systems
[_] Backroom politics
[_] Negative experience opposing one in combat

8. Please indicate the location(s) where this product will be used:

[_] North America
[_] Iraq
[_] Aircraft carrier
[_] Iraq
[_] Europe
[_] Iraq
[_] Middle East (not Iraq)
[_] Iraq
[_] Africa
[_] Iraq
[_] Asia / Far East
[_] Iraq
[_] Miscellaneous Third World countries
[_] Iraq
[_] Classified
[_] Iraq

9. Please indicate the products that you currently own or intend to purchase in the near future:

[_] Colour TV
[_] VCR
[_] ICBM
[_] Killer Satellite
[_] CD Player
[_] Air-to-Air Missiles
[_] Space Shuttle
[_] Home Computer
[_] Nuclear Weapon

10. How would you describe yourself or your organization? (Indicate all that apply:)

[_] Communist / Socialist
[_] Terrorist
[_] Crazed
[_] Neutral
[_] Democratic
[_] Dictatorship
[_] Corrupt
[_] Primitive / Tribal

11. How did you pay for your McDonnell Douglas product?

[_] Deficit spending
[_] Cash
[_] Suitcases of cocaine
[_] Oil revenues
[_] Personal cheque
[_] Credit card
[_] Ransom money
[_] Traveller's cheque

12. Your occupation:

[_] Homemaker
[_] Sales / marketing
[_] Revolutionary
[_] Clerical
[_] Mercenary
[_] Tyrant
[_] Middle management
[_] Eccentric billionaire
[_] Defence Minister / General
[_] Retired
[_] Student

13. To help us better understand our customers; please indicate the interests and activities in which you and your spouse enjoy participating on a regular basis:

[_] Golf
[_] Boating / sailing
[_] Sabotage
[_] Running / jogging
[_] Propaganda / misinformation
[_] Destabilization / overthrow
[_] Defaulting on loans
[_] Gardening
[_] Crafts
[_] Black market / smuggling
[_] Collectibles / collections
[_] Watching sports on TV
[_] Wines
[_] Interrogation / torture
[_] Household pets
[_] Crushing rebellions
[_] Espionage / reconnaissance
[_] Fashion clothing
[_] Border disputes
[_] Mutually Assured Destruction

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this questionnaire. Your answers will be used in market studies that will help McDonnell Douglas serve you better in the future - as well as allowing you to receive mailings and special offers from other companies, governments, extremist groups, and mysterious consortia. As a bonus for responding to this survey, you will be registered to win a brand new F-117A in our Desert Thunder Sweepstakes!

Comments or suggestions about our fighter planes? Please write to:

McDonnell DOUGLAS CORPORATION Marketing Department Military, Aerospace Division.

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BOW WAVE is published each week to around 7550 Readers in the transport,insurance,shipping and finance industries.

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