According to officials, as fire threats break out inside containers or in automobiles at sea mount, international shipping companies are looking into measures to increase safety in moving goods.
Over 90% of global trade is transported by shipping onboard a variety of vessels, including containers and ships, as trade routes get busier.
Leading carriers from Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, Denmark, and Britain said in a new initiative that they are investigating feasibility studies to understand how cargo is loaded and also monitored at sea, as well as looking for solutions to detect onboard fire ships and quickly stop it from spreading.
According to the program director for the cargo fire and loss innovation initiative, the goal of the first challenge area is to provide the earliest signal of a fire incident, allowing the necessary onboard measures to prevent the growth of huge flames and loss.
The initiative proves that innovation may be leveraged to increase response times beyond the current regulatory standards, improving vessel safety.
Leading international insurance firm research of its 2022 safety and shipping assessment revealed over 70 reported fires on board container ships alone in the previous five years, with increased dangers faced by automobile carriers transporting electric vehicles using batteries.
The integrity of dangerous products throughout the supply chain is the primary contributing factor to cargo fires on container ships. As a result, it is an issue that can only be improved through comprehensive industry solutions, according to a logistics and supply chain company.
