For many years now the container shipping industry suffers from the risks of fires and explosions onboard their vessels. Insurers, incident responders, and consultants have repeatedly alerted the container shipping industry to these issues.

Some of these issues were:

• Incorrect cargo type and weight declaration by shippers
• Lack of cargo information onboard
• Insufficient firefighting capabilities onboard
• Accessibility of containers in stack
• Temperature monitoring possibilities

Frequent rule changes in for example:

• Container type,
• Packaging,
• Segregation onboard
• Marking and weighing standards

Have helped to increase the safety of the trade but such rule changes only follow major   incidents and lag behind developments in the trade,

For example, the IMDG Code changes (addressing the carriage of non-bulk cargoes) around the transportation of Calcium Hypochlorite following a series of major incidents in the ‘90’s. 

Having first-hand experience in dealing with container fires OOS89 is well placed to advise on combating these incidents. Be it during the fire onboard the vessel or advising owners on new measures to counter the risks.