WSC Launches AI Cargo Safety Program to Prevent Fires

The World Shipping Council (WSC), the liner industry’s lobbying body, has introduced the Cargo Safety Program, a new initiative designed to use artificial intelligence to detect misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods. The program aims to reduce shipboard fires, safeguard crews, protect cargo and vessels, and minimize harm to the marine environment.

The initiative brings together AI-powered cargo screening with unified inspection standards to flag high-risk shipments before they are loaded onto vessels.

Shipboard fires are currently at their highest rate in more than ten years, according to Allianz’s Safety and Shipping Review 2025. Misdeclared hazardous cargo is cited as a major contributor, linked to over 25% 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,” said Joe Kramek, president and CEO of the World Shipping Council. “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.”

Central to the program is a digital cargo screening tool built on technology from the U.S.-based National Cargo Bureau (NCB). The system scans millions of bookings in real time, applying keyword searches, trade pattern recognition, and AI-driven algorithms to detect potential risks. Any flagged shipments are reviewed by carriers and, when necessary, confirmed through targeted physical inspections.

The program also introduces uniform inspection standards and a structured feedback loop, ensuring lessons from real-world incidents inform ongoing prevention. At its launch, carriers representing over 70% of global teu capacity signed on to participate.

“By working together and using the best available tools, we can identify risks early, act quickly, and prevent accidents before they happen,” Kramek said. “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.”

Despite growing awareness and repeated incidents involving misdeclared goods, recent data shows that more than one in ten shipments still contain deficiencies.