Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), an initiative created by the container shipping industry, has published guidelines on the safe carriage of charcoal in containers, as nearly 70 boxship fires were caused by misdeclared charcoal cargoes between January 2015 and December 2022.
CINS said: “Most of these incidents also arose from consignments that had been misdeclared and therefore the carrier was not aware of the hazards presented.”
Charcoal, used commonly in cooking, is self-heating and could give rise to extensive heat development. When the heat is not sufficiently dissipated, may cause fires if the self-ignition temperature is reached.
CINS cautioned that charcoal may be sold under various trade names that may conceal the true nature of the cargo.
CINS said: “It’s strongly recommended that carriers implement effective cargo screening processes, together with ‘know your customer’ due diligence to ensure that the cargo being presented is appropriately classified and properly declared to enable it to be transported safely.”
In the case of charcoal cargoes, a laboratory test from the shipper was sufficient to prevent these from being classed as a dangerous, but leaving ships susceptible to fire risks.
Going forward, however, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code is being amended to require charcoal to be declared and transported in compliance with the requirements set out in the code.
Shipping rules are being amended as it has been found that charcoal is prone to spontaneous combustion, which may cause a fire in a container during transport.
The CINS guidelines state that after production, the unpackaged and loose charcoal shall be subject to weathering (stored under cover, but in the open air) for at least 14 days before being packaged for shipping.
The temperature of any part of the charcoal cargo prior to packaging shall not be exceed 40 degrees Celsius on the day of packing. The continuous use of a thermal camera to check the temperature during the packaging process is strongly recommended.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
