The World Shipping Council (WSC) is launching the Cargo Safety Program, an industry-led initiative to detect misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods. This is to prevent ship fires, protect crews, vessels, customers’ cargo, and the marine environment.
The program combines AI-powered cargo screening and common inspection standards to identify misdeclared and undeclared high-risk shipments before they are loaded.
Ship fires are at their highest level in over a decade, according to Allianz’s Safety and Shipping Review 2025. Misdeclared dangerous goods are a leading cause of ship fires, reported as responsible for more than a quarter of all cargo-related incidents.
‘We have seen too many tragic incidents where misdeclared cargo has led to catastrophic fires, including the loss of life,’ says Joe Kramek, President and CEO of the WSC. ‘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.’
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Digital cargo screening tool
At the heart of the program is a digital cargo screening tool powered by the National Cargo Bureau’s (NCB) technology. It scans millions of bookings in real time using keyword searches, trade pattern recognition and AI-driven algorithms to identify potential risks. Alerts are reviewed by carriers and, when needed, verified through targeted physical inspections.
The program also establishes common inspection standards for verifying shipments and an incident feedback loop to ensure lessons from real-world cases strengthen prevention. At launch, carriers representing more than seventy per cent of global TEU capacity have joined the program.
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Regular updates
‘By working together and using the best available tools, we can identify risks early, act quickly, and prevent accidents before they happen,’ states Kramek. ‘The Cargo Safety Program is a powerful new layer of protection, but it does not replace the fundamental obligation shippers have to declare dangerous goods accurately. That is the starting point for safety, and it is required under international law.’
The program will continue to evolve, with regular updates to its technology and standards to address new and emerging risks.
Also read: Which factors play a role in rising number of ship fires?
