Avalon Becomes a Business Partner of FIATA

Avalon Risk Management, Inc. has arranged to handle the FIATA Group Bond Program on a worldwide basis. FIATA, in French "Fédération Internationale des Associations de Transitaires et Assimilés", in English "International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations", in German "Internationale Föderation der Spediteurorganisationen", was founded in Vienna , Austria on May 31, 1926.

“This arrangement for the provision of the group bond entered into between FIATA and Avalon is one which will, undoubtedly, provide substantial benefits to our membership who are engaged in trading with the United States.” said Issa Baluch, FIATA's President.

FIATA represents an industry covering approximately 40,000 forwarding and logistics firms, also known as the "Architects of Transport", employing around 8- 0 million people in 150 countries. FIATA has consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (inter alia ECE, ESCAP, ESCWA), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

The organization is recognized as representing the freight forwarding industry by many other governmental organizations, governmental authorities, private international organizations in the field of transport such as 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. FIATA is the largest non-governmental organization in the field of transportation. Its influence is worldwide.

Avalon provides FIATA with a Group Bond underwritten by Lincoln General Insurance Company. This bond will allow qualifying FIATA members to satisfy the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission's requirement for Ocean Transportation Intermediary bonds. This program is available to both members of FIATA National Organizations as well as direct FIATA members. Lincoln General has an A.M. Best rating of “Excellent” and is approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury to post bonds with limits up to and in excess of US$16 million. Like Avalon, Lincoln General is wholly owned by Kingsway Financial Services (KFS).

The details surrounding this program will be formally announced at the FIATA World Congress 2005 to be held in Moscow from Sunday, September 11, 2005 through Thursday, September 15, 2005.

Details on the World Congress - www.far-aerf.ru/congress/index.htm

Details - www.fiata.com