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ZIM turns to AI in battle against mis-declared cargoes and container firesZIM turns to AI in battle against mis-declared cargoes and container fires

ZIM is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to identify mis-declared container cargoes before they are loaded onto the vessel, avoiding potnetially devastating fires and loss of life.

Marcus Hand, Editor

August 18, 2020

2 Min Read
Side view of ZIM vessel in port
Photo: ZIM Line

The Israeli container line has been rolling out AI-based screening software ZIMGuard which scans shippers’ cargo declarations at an early stage and flags potential cases of wrongly declared cargo.

Shippers mis-declare hazardous cargoes, which require additional monitoring and careful stowage, to avoid higher freight rates such containers incur. This can result in fires which have led to containership fires with severe damage to vessels and loss of lives of seafarers.

The new ZIM system uses AI, including Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities and Machine Learning, to analyse shipper documentation and alert the line of omissions and concealment or erroneous declaration of hazardous cargo, in real time. This enables mis-declared dangerous cargoes to be identified before they are loaded onto the vessel.

ZIM has already deployed the system at major ports in China, the US and Israel and it has worked to alert the line of mis-decleraed. cargoes China, in particular, has been seen as source of mis-declared cargoes such as calcium hypochlorite.

“Since launching ZIMGuard, we were alerted to dozens of cases of mis-declared cargo. In view of ZIMGuard’s potential contribution to the safety of the global supply chain, ZIM is willing to commercially offer licensing this system to parties who may be interested in utilizing it,” said Eli Glickman, ZIM president & ceo.

Related:Misdeclared container cargoes a growing concern for insurers

The line plans to roll out the system across all its network by year end.

Some lines have taken to banning cargoes such as calcium hypochlorite, however, this can simply lead to shippers mis-declaring the cargo and try to get it onboard the vessel anyway, as P&I insurers Standard Club pointed out in a presentation last year. The insurer pointed out that dangerous cargoes were safe to carry if stowed properly, however, the problem is when the line does not know such cargoes are onboard the vessel due to mis-declaration.

Captain Zadok Radecker, ZIM global hazardous & special cargoes manager, in charge of cargo security, said: “Coping with mis-declarations of hazardous cargo, which can create a serious risk, is challenging. The new system has proven to be effective and on target. It enables us to identify, investigate and clarify any issue prior to loading, ensuring the safety of the crew and ship, and the safety of the supply chain in general.”

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About the Author

Marcus Hand

Editor

Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia.

Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation.

In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology.

Marcus is the founder of the Seatrade Maritime Podcast that delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics.

Conferences & Webinars

Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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