In the late 1980s, while serving as second mate on a new containership docked in Rotterdam, I saw a massive C10 Class Evergreen ship sail by. The chief mate and I were stunned. He remarked, “The industry is out of control. This is a Kraken – a threat to the seas.” Our ship had a capacity of 1,800 TEU, while the Evergreen vessel boasted 4,500 TEU.
Fast forward to today, after over a decade at sea and nearly three decades in the marine insurance industry, I find myself working at National Cargo Bureau (NCB), a company I have always admired.
In recent years, the shipping industry has seen a significant increase in the number and size of containerships, particularly with the rise of Ultra Large Container Ships (ULCS). Before 2012, there were only eight Maersk E-class vessels, with a combined capacity of 143,000 TEU. By 2021, this number had surged to over 160 ULCSs, with a total capacity exceeding an astounding 3.2 million TEU. This rapid growth has posed substantial challenges for the insurance industry, especially concerning the accumulation of risk on a single ship.
Container transportation faces unique challenges. “Said to contain” on Bills of Lading creates uncertainty about contents, risking mishandling of dangerous goods. Verified Gross Mass (VGM) mismatches threaten stack stability and stowage planning. Costs and paperwork can lead to evasion of declarations, while lack of handling knowledge fosters unsafe practices. Fear of losing business encourages compromising safety protocols. Restrictions on certain dangerous goods often result in concealment or misrepresentation, and despite regulations, the temptation to circumvent them persists.
Addressing these concerns in 2018, the NCB launched the Container Inspection Safety Initiative (CISI) after the Maersk Honam incident. They inspected 500 containers and found 55% failed, with 43% having stowage issues and 6.5% containing mis-declared cargo. With 5.4 million dangerous goods containers shipped annually, a 6.5% misdeclaration rate means over 300,000 potential hazards at sea. Addressing these issues is crucial for maritime safety.
In response to these mounting challenges, NCB developed Hazcheck Detect—a cutting-edge tool crafted by industry experts to identify mis-declared and undeclared dangerous goods (DG) cargo early in the shipping process, thus enhancing safety and regulatory compliance.
Today, Hazcheck Detect is used by seven major container lines, collectively representing 53% of global container volume. In 2024 alone we conducted 67.5 million screenings, averaging 1.3 million per week. We flagged 2.1 million potential risks in 2024, averaging 40,000 per week. Each week we assess 5,200 cases, with 273 confirmed as legitimate risks. This year, we estimate over 200 million screenings – continuing our vital efforts in the industry’s quest to maintain safety and integrity in an ever-growing and increasingly complex maritime landscape.
