Container Ship Fire Risk Grows As Dangerous Goods Go Undeclared
Container ship fires remain one of the most serious safety challenges facing the global shipping industry, with new industry analysis suggesting that a fire now breaks out on a boxship somewhere in the world about every 17 days.
A recently published safety and shipping review recorded 200 vessel fire incidents in 2025, underlining the scale of the problem and the continued risks linked to cargo that is wrongly declared, poorly documented, or not declared at all. The report points to misdeclared dangerous goods as the leading factor behind many container-related fires, with lithium-ion batteries and chemicals identified as particular areas of concern.
Misdeclared cargo is believed to be involved in roughly one quarter of cargo-related incidents. When dangerous goods are not properly described, containers may be loaded in areas of the vessel that are unsuitable for their risk profile. In an emergency, inaccurate paperwork can also delay or complicate firefighting, as crews may not immediately know what materials are burning or how best to respond.
The concern has intensified as global demand for lithium-ion batteries has grown, driven by electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and the wider energy transition. Although these batteries are essential to many low-carbon technologies, damaged, defective, or incorrectly packed units have been linked to severe fires.
One case cited in the report involved cargo declared only as “hand tools”, which was later found to include lithium-ion battery-powered equipment requiring specialist handling.
The trend is especially troubling as container ships continue to increase in size. On today’s largest vessels, fires can spread rapidly and overwhelm crews, sometimes leaving abandonment as the only safe option before professional salvage teams can intervene.
Evolution Forwarding specialises in dangerous goods movements, by air, ocean and road. We provide complete solutions for packing, documentation, compliance and training for dangerous goods products. For further information please email info@evolutionforwarding.com or call 0800 4346244.
