Young Freight Forwarders Honoured at FIATA World Congress

Press Release
7 October 2019

Zurich,  7th October 2019For over twenty years both FIATA, the global federation of international logistic service providers and freight forwarders, and TT Club, the specialist insurer for the freight and logistics industry, have championed the development of young professionals in freight forwarding.  Now in its twenty-second year, the Young International Freight Forwarder of the Year (YIFFY) Award has been supported by both organisations in order to promote this mission.  The winner of this year’s award, announced on Friday at the FIATA World Congress in Cape Town, is Mrs Evgeniya Khokhlova, who represents Region Europe and is a Specialist in Project Logistics for SVH-Freight in Russia.

Each year, four regional finalists are selected from multiple entrants located across the world.  They are invited to attend the FIATA World Congress, providing each finalist with invaluable learning and networking opportunities.

The candidates are required to submit a 6,000 word dissertation outlining the pertinent details of an import and export shipment from their native country. The four finalists then present their dissertations in person to a panel of judges at the Congress where the overall winner is selected.

TT Club is proud to have sponsored the award throughout its history and Mike Yarwood, TT Club’s Senior Loss Prevention Executive and Chairman of the Award Steering Committee, together with FIATA President, Babar Badat presented the award to Evgeniya at the Cape Town Congress.  As the winner Evgeniya will receive two one-week training sessions with TT Club at one of its regional headquarters in London, New Jersey or Hong Kong.

The FIATA World Congress, organised in partnership with the South African Association of Freight Forwarders, welcomed over 1,000 participants from around the world.  Attendees at the Gala Dinner also offered their congratulations to the other three regional finalists:

Africa/ Middle East - Mr Enos Chapara, Tracking and Documentation Agent, Bollore Transport and Logistics Zimbabwe Private Limited., Zimbabwe (SFAAZ)

Americas - Ms Rachael van Harmelen, Business Unit Sales Manager at DSV Panalpina, Canada (CIFFA)

Asia Pacific - Mr Phillip Burgess, South Island Manager, Burnard International Ltd., New Zealand (CBAFF)

Commenting on the outstanding quality of the work presented to the judges this year, Yarwood said, “I would like to congratulate all four finalists for their polished presentations and especially, of course our winner. The current global trade environment is particularly challenging. The forwarder’s role in adapting to the regulatory, political and economic pressures on themselves and their customers is more crucial than ever. In these circumstances the training and professional advancement of our young professionals must be paramount.”

FIATA’s President Badat said, “The prestige of the YIFFY Award has long been recognised.  FIATA values highly the operational excellence that the award represents. We are grateful to TT Club for its sponsorship and thank all the entrants this year and in the past for their enthusiasm. We encourage our member associations to re-double their efforts in putting forward candidates for the 2020 Award and in promoting training and professional advancement opportunities in general.”

The TT Club sponsored 2020 YIFFY Award will be presented at next year’s FIATA Congress in Busan, South Korea (19th-24th October).

Media Contact:

Stephen Morris

Acting Director General, FIATA

Email: [email protected]

www.fiata.com

Peter Owen

Portcare International

Tel: +44 (0)1737 248300

E-mail: [email protected]

About FIATA

FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, was founded in Vienna, Austria on May 31st 1926.  It is a non-governmental organisation that today represents an industry covering approximately 40,000 forwarding and logistics firms, employing around 10 million people in some 160 countries. FIATA has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (inter alia ECE, ESCAP, ESCWA, etc.), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) as well as many other UN related bodies, e.g. the World Bank. It is recognised as representing the freight forwarding industry by many other governmental organisations, governmental authorities, private international organisations in the field of transport and logistics, such as the European Commission (through CLECAT), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Union of Railways (UIC), the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the World Customs Organization (WCO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), etc. www.fiata.com

About TT Club

TT Club is the international transport and logistics industry's leading provider of insurance and related risk management services. Established in 1968, the Club's membership comprises ship operators, ports and terminals, road, rail and airfreight operators, logistics companies and container lessors. As a mutual insurer, the Club exists to provide its policyholders with benefits, which include specialist underwriting expertise, a world-wide office network providing claims management services, and first class risk management and loss prevention advice. www.ttclub.com