CPM Focus Group on Sea Containers Concludes in Rome

Rome, 13 December 2024. The CPM Focus Group on Sea Containers held its first physical meeting from December 9 to 13, at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. This meeting marked a significant step forward in advancing global pest risk management, following the approval of its extended mandate and Terms of Reference (ToR) at CPM-18 earlier this year. Delegates from contracting parties, regional plant protection organizations (RPPOs), and industry representatives came together to deliberate on key issues related to sea container cleanliness and phytosanitary protection.

Updated Action Plan for Future Work

A key focus of the meeting was revising and updating the action plan, which serves as a living document to guide the group’s work on pest risk management. The action plan, originally approved by the Bureau in October 2024, will be continually refined at each meeting to incorporate new developments and insights from recent activities, such as the International Symposium on Container Design. The updated action plan will guide the work of the group in addressing the activities of the ToR, including the ongoing assessment of identified regulatory and non-regulatory options, promoting and expanding the uptake of the revised CPM Recommendation 6 on Sea Containers through key communication activities, strengthening collaboration with other multilateral bodies and pursuing key initiatives such as the custodial responsibility approach and sea container design modifications to minimize pest risks.

Exploring Outcomes of the Rotterdam Symposium

The group dedicated time to reviewing the outcomes of the International Symposium on Container Design, held in Rotterdam in November 2024, which highlighted innovations in container design to minimize pest risks in the international supply chain. Key discussions included potential trials and new technologies that could be promoted to enhance pest risk management. These innovations are expected to inform future strategies and contribute to the Focus Group's overarching goals.

Global Partnerships for Harmonized Solutions

Discussions extended to collaboration with other multilateral bodies such as the World Customs Organization (WCO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). These partnerships aim to ensure that measures for sea container cleanliness align globally, avoiding duplicative efforts. Communication approaches to strengthen collaboration and awareness with industry stakeholders and parties along the supply chain were also evaluated, with breakout sessions held to develop strategies for effective engagement. The group also discussed and considered regional efforts by RPPOs to minimize pest risks associated with sea containers. Also noted was the Focus Group’s promising work with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), as one of the three UN co-sponsors of the Cargo Transport Unit Code (CTU Code) undertaking a revision of the Code, to update and enhance included information on the prevention of pest contamination.

Way Forward

The group initiated a plan for the 2026 International Workshop, which will review experiences with implementing the CPM Recommendation 6 on Sea Containers. This workshop aims to assess the effectiveness of current practices, share best practices, and identify future areas for improvement. The 2026 workshop will play an important role in determining the next steps and the final recommendations to CPM-21 in 2027 on long term IPPC guidance.

©FAO/ Mariam Almasri – CPM Focus Group on Sea Containers at their meeting in FAO HQ, Rome.