WSC Warns 11 Percent of Containers Have Safety Issues

 

The issues of mis-declared or improperly packed cargo in containers are again being highlighted in new data from the World Shipping Council. The trade group reports based on port state inspection data that the number of containers found with potential safety issues has risen to more than 11 percent, which extrapolates to approximately 27.5 million containers annually based on an estimate that the industry transports 250 million boxes a year.

“With over one-in-ten shipments showing deficiencies, the message is clear: gaps in cargo safety remain far too common,” said Joe Kramek, President & CEO of the World Shipping Council. “Cargo deficiencies put crews, ships, cargo, and the environment at risk."

The council highlights that, by law, port state inspectors can check containers to ensure cargo complies with international regulations and standards. They are looking at issues such as proper declarations and packing of dangerous goods.

The data shows that 11.39 percent of containers were found with deficiencies, up from 11 percent in 2023. Between 2017 and 2022, the rate had been under 9 percent a year and fallen as low as 6.5 percent in 2019, but also jumped to 10.86 percent in 2021. The types of issues that are being identified include mis-declared and undeclared dangerous goods, incorrect documentation, and improper packing, all of which the World Shipping Council points out can lead to serious safety incidents, including ship fires.

While the causes have not been identified, the industry has suffered several high-profile incidents recently. In June, the Wan Hai 503 with a capacity of over 1,700 containers reported a fire that burned for weeks and devastated the vessel, while last month, Maersk reported a fire aboard one of its largest container ships, Marie Maersk (19,076 TEU). While firefighting teams were able to stop the spread of the fire and limit damage, Maersk recently declared General Average for the vessel, which is due to reach the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia next week. Cargo owners will be required to share the cost of the firefighting effort.

The shipping industry has been working to address the issue, including new regulations, for example, on the shipment of charcoal. However, while it has been successful in reducing containers lost overboard (just 576 in 2024 according to World Shipping Council data), the dangers from mis-declared and improperly packaged cargo remain high.

The WSC is calling for strong safety measures and more reporting. It notes that currently, just seven port states are reporting cargo safety data. The 2024 report is based on information from 77,688 containers inspected, where 8,850 were found to have deficiencies. More data, the WSC says, would highlight trends and provide insights to address the problem.