The World Shipping Council (WSC) announced on 15 September 2025 the launch of its Cargo Safety Program, an industry initiative to detect misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods in order to prevent ship fires and protect crews, vessels, cargo and the marine environment.
The program combines AI-powered cargo screening with common inspection standards. At launch, carriers representing more than 70% of global TEU capacity have joined.
The screening tool is based on the National Cargo Bureau’s technology and reviews millions of bookings in real time using keyword searches, trade pattern recognition and AI algorithms. Alerts are assessed by carriers and, when necessary, verified through targeted physical inspections.
According to Allianz’s Safety and Shipping Review 2025, ship fires are at their highest level in more than a decade, with misdeclared dangerous goods responsible for over a quarter of cargo-related incidents.
“We have seen too many tragic incidents where misdeclared cargo has led to catastrophic fires, including the loss of life,” said Joe Kramek, President and CEO of the World Shipping Council. “The WSC Cargo Safety Program strengthens the industry’s safety net by combining shared screening technology, common inspection standards, and real-world feedback to reduce risk.”
The initiative also sets common inspection standards and establishes a feedback loop from incidents to improve prevention. “By working together and using the best available tools, we can identify risks early, act quickly, and prevent accidents before they happen,” Kramek said. He added that the program “does not replace the fundamental obligation shippers have to declare dangerous goods accurately,” which is mandated under international law.
The International Group of P&I Clubs stated that the program is “an important initiative designed to enhance the safety in the carriage of containerised cargo by identifying the risks of mis-declared shipments.” The TT Club noted that “on average, a major container ship fire occurs roughly every 60 days” and described the program as “an important step toward preventing incidents, protecting lives, and strengthening global trade resilience.”
The Global Shippers Forum said it “recognises and supports steps being taken by WSC to address the real risks and dangers” and that it “looks forward to learning more about how the Cargo Safety Program works in practice.”
World Shipping Council is a non-profit trade association representing the international liner shipping industry. It acts as an industry voice in policymaking and regulatory discussions, with offices in Brussels, London, Singapore and Washington, D.C.