Joe Kramek, President & CEO of the World Shipping Council, writes:
Cargo safety was impossible to ignore in 2025. Major ship fires have again made headlines, reminding us that every incident is first and foremost a threat to people.
The data behind those headlines is sobering. Allianz has reported that ship fires are now at their highest level in more than a decade. Mis-declared dangerous goods are a leading cause of ship fires, reported as responsible for more than a quarter of all cargo-related incidents.
For liner shipping that translates to a major shipboard fire roughly every 60 days, each one putting lives at risk and disrupting supply chains. Inspection data underlines the scale of the problem. Reporting to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) by national authorities shows deficiencies in around 11 percent of inspected containers, including incorrect documentation and improper packing.
Each of these deficiencies represents a potential spark for disaster.
Mis-declared or undeclared dangerous goods are the common thread in many of the worst cases, as shipments enter the supply chain incorrectly documented or concealed, bypassing the safeguards that protect crews and vessels.
As an industry, we knew that individual actions alone would not be enough. So, together we took a big step in 2025 by launching the World Shipping Council Cargo Safety Program. At its core is a digital screening tool, powered by the National Cargo Bureau, that screens cargo data at the time of booking. Using keyword analysis, trade pattern recognition and machine learning, the system highlights bookings that may represent undeclared or mis-declared dangerous goods.
