Fires involving containerised charcoal cargoes remain a serious and persistent issue in the shipping industry, despite longstanding warnings and safety protocols. These incidents are often linked to misdeclared shipments, where charcoal is disguised under various trade names, making it difficult to identify and regulate appropriately. 

In her article, Jessica Ng explores the risks associated with transporting charcoal, a material susceptible to self-heating and spontaneous combustion when exposed to oxygen and moisture. She highlights how improper handling, such as inadequate cooling, poor ventilation, or exposure to heat, can lead to fires, sometimes occurring days or even weeks after shipment. 

Jessica highlights recent changes to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, in particular the removal of Special Provision 925 and the introduction of Special Provision 978. These changes eliminate exemptions that previously allowed certain charcoal products to be shipped as non-dangerous goods. Now, all charcoal must be declared as dangerous cargo, with stringent requirements for temperature control, ventilation, and  pre-shipment treatment. 

Jessica urges shippers and carriers to adopt proactive safety measures before the mandatory enforcement date in 2026, emphasising the importance of accurate declaration, thorough inspections, and adherence to the updated code to mitigate fire risks. 

Jessica Ng is a Senior Associate at Hawkins & Associates, based in our Hong Kong office. With a background in Physical Science and a Master’s degree in Forensic Science from King’s College London, Jessica has been with Hawkins since 2015. She specialises in fire and explosion investigations, contamination assessments, and agricultural cargo claims. Her expertise spans residential and commercial fires, marine incidents, and complex cargo-related cases, including those involving liquefaction and chemical contamination.  

If you need Jessica or any other Hawkins expert to investigate a marine claim, contact us here. 

You can read Jessica’s article on page 61 of The Marine Insurer here:  https://issuu.com/cannonevents/docs/the_marine_insurer_oct_issue_22_  

This month, we celebrate Nico Zurcher, who marks a decade of dedicated service at Hawkins. Nico’s journey with Hawkins began in 2015, when he joined our London office to strengthen our growing International and Shipping Incidents team. In 2020 Nico relocated to run our Hong Kong office, and played a key role in expanding Hawkins’ presence across Asia and supporting complex international investigations. Over the years, Nico’s expertise and commitment have been instrumental in delivering exceptional service to our clients worldwide. 

Nico holds an MSc in Environmental Management and a BSc in Biology with Oceanography, qualifications, which laid the foundation for his early career in environmental consultancy. Before joining Hawkins, he worked on major government marine projects in Hong Kong, as well as oil, gas, and mining projects throughout Asia. 

During his time at Hawkins, Nico has investigated a wide range of land-based and marine incidents including: 

Hawkins’ Marine Fire expert John Gow, recently spoke at Marine Insurance Nordics, sharing his expertise on fire prevention. His presentation, “Loss Prevention: More Risk Management, Lower Claims?”, addressed the growing challenges of fire prevention in the maritime industry and emphasised the critical role of proactive strategies in reducing claims. 

John highlighted several key points: 

We are delighted to share that John Gow, Marine Fire Expert at Hawkins, recently presented “Fighting Fire at Sea” at the Marine Claims International Conference in Dublin. 

John’s talk explored the rising number of shipboard fires and the evolving risks facing the maritime industry. He highlighted the increase in fire incidents involving container ships, cargo vessels, and car carriers, and discussed the growing complexity of fire safety at sea. His presentation covered the latest international regulations and safety codes, as well as advancements in fire detection and suppression technologies, including AI-driven systems and autonomous firefighting robots.

John also emphasised the importance of crew training in prevention and response and addressed new challenges posed by alternative fuels and electric vehicles. Drawing on recent high-profile incidents, he shared practical lessons and expert insights into how the industry is adapting to improve safety and resilience.