Monday, June 23, 2025
Home News Industry bodies join forces to tackle safety of dangerous goods storage and...

Industry bodies join forces to tackle safety of dangerous goods storage and transport

International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) International and the International Vessel Operators Dangerous Goods Association (IVODGA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to assist the dissemination of effective guidance on the correct safety procedures that need to be employed on container packing and declaration.

Container ship fires and explosions in port storage facilities continue to be the result of poorly packed and misdeclared hazardous materials as they move through the global supply chain, according to the two industry bodies.

ICHCA and IVODGA will work closely on joint projects to improve standards across numerous common safety issues affecting the transport of dangerous goods and they expect their collaboration to assist in “producing clearly defined guidelines to best practice based on years of practical experience in handling dangerous goods.”

“The extraordinary disaster in Beirut last August was an all too unwelcome wake-up call to everyone involved in the transport, storage and distribution of dangerous materials,” pointed out Richard Steele, CEO of ICHCA International, which represents global cargo handling operators.

“However, similar incidents, smaller in proportion, yet damaging to life and limb as well as property happen across the supply chain on a frequent basis. The mutual cooperation of IVODGA and ICHCA will be aimed at the universal understanding and application of measures for the safe handling and storage of a range of goods with potential to cause explosions, fires and noxious gas emissions, etc,” he added.

Uffe V. Ernst Frederiksen, A.P. Moller – Maersk A/S, Vice Chair of IVODGA and Special Adviser to ICHCA International, commented, “The mutual goals and the shared respect of our two organisations will quickly result in a positive contribution to a clear and efficient communication between not just our respective members but crucially across all stakeholders in the supply chain whose interests touch any and all hazardous materials.”





Antonis Karamalegkos
Managing Editor

Latest Posts

We Asked AI: Container Ships in Ancient Worlds

Container Ships in Ancient Worlds Imagine a colossal container ship gliding through the Nile as pyramids rise in the distance, or docking at a bustling...

Scenario planning for Mediterranean ports growth amid ongoing tensions

The sustained growth of Mediterranean port traffic, driven by increased Asia-Europe trade and the Red Sea crisis, presents a dynamic landscape for global shipping. Assuming...

Thessaloniki port Revival: Balkan gateway reawakens

 For decades, Thessaloniki was a port with strategic promise but structural limitations, ideally located at the crossroads of Europe and the Balkans, yet constrained...

Vigor Marine Group’s consolidation signals US push to counter China’s shipbuilding dominance

In a bold move to strengthen America’s maritime capabilities, five leading US ship repair and marine service providers have united under a single banner. This...

AI reshape shipping operations

The integration of artificial intelligence into shipping operations, is poised to transform competition in the maritime industry by enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability while...
error: Content is protected !!