Carriers Adopt New Standard to Prevent Deadly Charcoal Fires
The shipping industry is taking proactive steps to implement improved safety measures for transporting charcoal, ahead of mandatory IMO regulations in 2026. Experts have long warned that misdeclared, poorly handled, and poorly packed dangerous goods are one of the largest dangers for cargo fires and the industry is moving to crackdown on charcoal loaded in containers.
“We’ve seen too many preventable fires onboard vessels caused by improper handling of charcoal,” said Joe Kramek, President and CEO of the World Shipping Council (WSC). “We’re eager to see the new regulations implemented as the status quo hasn’t been adequate at keeping crew, cargo, and vessels safe.”
The Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), a safety initiative representing container shipping lines and maritime insurance interests published a comprehensive advisory publication in the fall of 2024 to alert carriers and shipping to the issues. Now, the World Shipping Council, with IGP&I and TT Club created a quick reference guide to further call attention to the new regulations.
WSC warns shippers should be ready to see carriers phase in new tighter regulations this year.??They report it is in response to a series of devastating fires caused by improperly handled charcoal.
“It is estimated that global production of charcoal for domestic and export markets is over 50 million tonnes per year (as of 2020). From the incident records created by CINS members, it is known that there were at least 68 fire incidents on board ships between January 2015 and December 2022,” they wrote in the October 2024 advisory. “Most of these incidents were caused by misdeclared cargo and therefore the carrier was not aware of the hazards presented.”
The new regulations require all charcoal shipments to be declared as dangerous goods under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. No exemptions will be allowed. There are also new treatment, packing, and stowage requirements for shipments of charcoal.?
“Treating all charcoal as dangerous goods ensures uniform safety standards and gives everyone involved – from shippers to carriers – the tools and clarity needed to prevent future tragedies,” added WSC’s Kramek.?
Fire continues to be one of the most challenging issues for containerships. Global insurer Allianz in its Safety and Shipping Review 2024 said that the constant high numbers of fire incidents remain a major concern. The report highlights that in 2023, 205 fire incidents were reported, the second-highest total for a decade after 2022. Over the past five years, Allianz documented 55 losses caused by fires noting that fire remains a key safety issue on larger vessels. In addition to the potential threat to life, Allianz highlighted the scale of the damage, and as a result, the associated costs which it said can be severe.