The Cargo Integrity Group has renewed its call for improved safety practices across the global container supply chain, highlighting 15 hazardous cargoes of concern.
The Group, comprising leading industry bodies, aims to raise awareness about goods that, while commonly transported by sea and intermodally, may present hazards under certain conditions.
The list is intended to highlight cargoes that can become dangerous if misdeclared, incorrectly identified, or improperly packed, even though they are usually transported safely when regulations are followed.
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The 15 cargoes are divided into three categories, each illustrating a different type of hazard:
- Reactive Hazards: These cargoes, such as charcoal, calcium hypochlorite, lithium-ion batteries, cotton, wool, fishmeal, krill, and seed cake, can catch fire and cause significant damage or casualties if certain conditions are met. They are generally subject to Dangerous Goods regulations.
- Spill or Leak Risks: Commodities including hides and skins, wine, bitumen, cocoa butter, waste engines and engine parts, and vegetable oils (particularly in flexitanks) can present risks to health and the environment if not packed properly or if damaged.
- Improper Packing Consequences: Poorly packed or secured cargoes, such as logs and timber, steel coils, and marble and granite, can result in injuries, damage to containers or property, and severe accidents both at sea and on land.
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The Cargo Integrity Group’s list is informed by data from TT Club’s claims history, a report by ICHCA submitted to the IMO, and incident data from CINS members.
Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director at TT Club, stated: “The combined experience of our organisations has been harnessed to identify these categories and result in pinpointing some commodities where the risks are perhaps less obvious.
“While the potential dangers of transporting, for example, calcium hypochlorite or lithium-ion batteries might be more widely appreciated, the combustible qualities of seed cake or the hazards associated with cocoa butter or vegetable oils, will be less well-known.”
Lars Kjaer, Senior Vice President at the World Shipping Council, added: “Every actor in the global container supply chain is responsible for the health and safety of not only their own people, but also of those at any onward stage of the container’s journey.
“Complying with regulations and following the advice in the CTU Code saves lives, and we appeal to everyone shipping, packing and handling commodities that fall within the categories of these Cargoes of Concern to be particularly diligent.”
The Group continues to promote the IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code and has produced a ‘Quick Guide’ and Checklist for safe packing, now available in all six official IMO languages and Italian.
Further guidance on the safe handling of these cargoes will be published in the coming months.
This development comes at a crucial time, as the situation aboard the Wan Hai 503 continues to be critical. India’s Ministry of Defence has described the conditions as “unfavourable,” with five coastguard vessels, two Dornier aircraft, and a helicopter currently engaged in efforts to control the fire on the containership.
