A container ship fire now breaks out somewhere in the world roughly every 17 days, according to new figures the World Shipping Council (WSC) drew from Allianz Commercial’s Safety and Shipping Review 2026. Allianz logged more than 200 vessel fire incidents in 2025 — the second-highest annual total of the past decade — with misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods, particularly lithium-ion batteries and chemicals, identified as a leading cause.

Improperly declared cargo accounts for about a quarter of cargo-related incidents, leading to unsafe stowage and hampered firefighting. WSC President and CEO Joe Kramek called it “not a paperwork issue” but “a life-and-death safety issue.” The risk is climbing as lithium-ion battery shipments — already six times higher than five years ago — are projected to double again by 2030, while mega-ships and vehicle carriers (which see a fire every 37 days) push general-average claims as high as 50% of cargo value.

In response, WSC has expanded its AI-driven Cargo Safety Program, which screens container bookings for misdeclared goods and has already blocked thousands of dangerous shipments — in one case flagging a booking listed as “hand tools” that actually held lithium-ion battery-powered tools. The council is also pressing the IMO for stricter fire-safety rules, including updated requirements for car carriers hauling electric vehicles.

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