The International Maritime Organization recently released its annual consolidated report on container inspection programmes for 2023. Nine countries—Canada, Chile, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, China, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United States—submitted results. A total of 74,870 dangerous goods containers were inspected, with 8,236 (11%) found to have deficiencies, primarily due to inadequate blocking and bracing of cargo, as well as issues with placarding and marking.

While these figures may seem low…a topic for another article, the implications for safety are substantial, especially when extrapolated to the millions of containers carrying dangerous goods at sea at any given time. Additionally, NCB’s Hazcheck Detect is uncovering over 500 cases weekly of mis declared or undeclared dangerous goods, further exposing this threat to safety.

The root of these non-compliance issues isn’t just “rogue” shippers; a major factor is inadequate training. Effective training is essential to prevent disasters in transporting dangerous goods. Unfortunately, compliance and training are often viewed as mere regulatory obligations rather than crucial components of a strong safety culture. This mindset leads to a lack of understanding of industry regulations and poor safety standards.

A recent NCB pilot programme in South Africa highlighted the importance of training.  Initial remote inspections revealed a staggering 74% failure rate, with 50% of containers inadequately secured and 25% mis declared. Many packers lacked basic knowledge of regulatory requirements, including proper cargo securing techniques.

However, one of the benefits of the remote container inspection process is direct interaction between warehouse packers and the trained NCB surveyor.  Packers are immediately made aware of any deficiencies, which are then corrected before the container is sealed for transport.  This hands-on approach provides a form of “on-the-job” training that has led to significant improvements in inspection outcomes.

Ultimately, fostering a robust safety programme requires cultivating awareness among all employees about their responsibilities to comply with regulations and company policies. This includes a comprehensive dangerous goods training programme that goes beyond mere compliance, ensuring employees can effectively apply regulatory knowledge to their job function.