Millions of maritime claims sounding alarm bell

As an important component of global trade, the export scale of dangerous goods such as chemicals, lithium batteries, and energy storage equipment continues to grow. Entering the second half of 2026, orders for Black Friday and Christmas in Europe and America will be concentrated, and the shipment volume of electrified and Class 9 dangerous goods will reach a temporary peak. However, at the same time, the risks of ship fires, port seizures, and general average claims caused by concealed dangerous goods, inadequate packaging, and careless packing operations have also been amplified. The recent "Maersk Seoul" maritime lawsuit has once again sounded the compliance alarm for the entire industry.

This accident first occurred in 2015 when the "Maersk Seoul" ship was sailing in the Strait of Hormuz when a container loaded with calcium hypochlorite on board caught fire. After the crew finished extinguishing the fire on board, the container exploded violently again after being unloaded at Dubai Port. After more than a decade of judicial proceedings, the High Court of England has made a final judgment, determining that the shipper had significant non-compliance in the packaging and boxing of dangerous goods. The court ordered the shipper to compensate the shipping company $13.178 million, covering ship rescue, salvage, port disposal, and all litigation related losses.

Calcium hypochlorite belongs to Class 5.1 oxidative hazardous materials and is prone to self decomposition and spontaneous combustion when heated. The accident investigation shows that the failure to complete the standardized packaging and isolation packing of the goods in accordance with the IMDG International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code was the core cause of the accident outbreak. It is worth noting in the industry that once a dangerous goods accident occurs, the shipper not only needs to bear the loss of all their own goods, but also includes ship damage, damage to other shippers' goods, salvage and salvage costs, demurrage fees, and legal litigation costs; If there is false reporting or concealment, the cargo insurance will directly refuse to compensate, and all losses will be borne by the shipping company itself.

Looking at the current market, similar risks have not been far away. This year, lithium battery exports have continued to rise, and the IMDG 42 24 amendment has been enforced. Many companies still use the old UN code for declaration; Some factories attempt to ship under the name of general cargo by simplifying packaging and omitting dangerous goods audits in order to meet delivery deadlines. The maritime departments at various ports have continuously increased the proportion of unpacking inspections for dangerous goods. Once it is found that the declared goods do not match the actual goods, they will face container detention, fines, returns, and even hold the enterprise responsible. Many companies only focus on order delivery, but underestimate the compliance threshold of the entire dangerous goods shipping chain.

Many foreign trade enterprises may fall into the misconception that as long as the freight forwarder takes over the goods, the risk is completely transferred. But from this case involving tens of millions of yuan, it can be seen that the consignor of goods is the first responsible party. Each step of goods classification, packaging, labeling, UN code confirmation, container reinforcement, and maritime declaration cannot be simplified. No matter how tight the peak season orders are, luck cannot replace standardized operations.

Faced with the complex environment of dangerous goods exports during peak seasons, enterprises should establish a pre compliance awareness. Complete the identification of hazardous attributes of the goods before shipment and confirm the correct UN number; Strictly use qualified dangerous goods packaging and post danger signs in a standardized manner; Submit maritime declaration materials to ensure consistency between the cargo and the certificate; Isolation and reinforcement should be carried out during the container loading process, and concealment and false reporting should be refused.

Our company specializes in international logistics of multiple categories of dangerous goods and is familiar with the latest revision rules of IMDG. We can provide supporting services such as cargo attribute verification, dangerous goods document agency, maritime declaration, port packing operation, and full transportation tracking. Assist customers in avoiding various risks caused by declaration errors and packaging omissions, and help enterprises smoothly ship orders during peak seasons. We have plans to export dangerous goods overseas. Welcome to consult and exchange ideas.

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