A new warning identifies 15 common cargoes posing hidden hazards, urging strict adherence to safety regulations to prevent dangerous incidents.
The Cargo Integrity Group, an alliance of leading global freight transport and cargo handling organisations, has issued an urgent warning, identifying fifteen common “Cargoes of Concern” that pose significant risks to global supply chain safety if not handled correctly. This initiative aims to prevent dangerous incidents, including fires, leaks, and severe accidents.
The Group, committed to enhancing safety in the global supply chain, urges all parties involved in handling these goods to rigorously follow applicable regulations, the CTU Code (Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units), and industry best practices. They emphasise that misdeclared or improperly documented cargoes are at a much higher risk of incidents.
While not exhaustive, the list highlights goods commonly transported by sea and intermodally, categorising them by their potential hazards:
- Reactive Hazards: These can cause fires and significant damage under certain conditions and are typically subject to dangerous goods regulations. Examples include Charcoal/Carbon, Calcium Hypochlorite, Lithium-ion batteries, Cotton and Wool, Fishmeal and Krill, and Seed Cake.
- Spill or Leak Risks: If not properly packed or if damaged, these can harm people and the environment. Examples include Hides and Skins, Wine, Bitumen, Cocoa Butter, Waste (recycled engines and engine parts), and Vegetable and other oils (especially in flexitanks).
- Improper Packing Consequences: Poorly secured cargo can lead to personnel injuries or damage to property and other cargo, potentially causing severe accidents like truck rollovers and train derailments. Examples include Logs and Timber, Steel Coils, and Marble and Granite.
Peregrine Storrs-Fox, Risk Management Director at TT Club, a member of the Cargo Integrity Group, stated, “The combined experience of our organisations has identified these categories and pinpointed commodities where the risks are perhaps less obvious.” He noted that while dangers of goods like lithium-ion batteries are widely known, the combustible qualities of seed cake or hazards of cocoa butter may be less understood.
The Group’s findings are based on extensive data from sources including TT Club’s claims history, an ICHCA report to the IMO on dangerous goods incidents, and information from CINS, which collates data from its members.
“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 onwards stage of the container’s journey,” commented Lars Kjaer, Senior Vice President, World Shipping Council. “Complying with regulations and following the advice in the CTU Code saves lives.”
In the coming months, the Cargo Integrity Group plans to release additional guidance on the identification and safe handling of these “Cargoes of Concern.” They continue to champion wider awareness and use of the IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code, for which they have developed a ‘Quick Guide’ and a checklist, now available in all six official IMO languages plus Italian.
Source: PR
