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More than one in 10 cargo transport units inspected in 2025 were found with safety deficiencies, according to the latest data compiled by the World Shipping Council
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Authorities identified deficiencies in 9,645 units, including incorrect documentation, marking and labelling, improper packing, and inadequate cargo securing
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Such deficiencies can raise the risk of cargo damage, container losses and ship fires
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The data were submitted to the International Maritime Organization by Chile, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden and the United States
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WSC said with only seven of more than 170 IMO member states reporting 2025 container inspection results leaves gaps in the global safety picture
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WSC chief Joe Kramek said the deficiency rate is too high and called for stronger enforcement and reporting by governments
More than one in 10 cargo transport units inspected in 2025 were found with safety deficiencies, according to data compiled and published by the World Shipping Council (WSC).
Government authorities in seven countries reported 93,079 cargo transport unit inspections to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for 2025, identifying deficiencies in 9,645 units, or 10.36% of those inspected.
The deficiencies included incorrect documentation, marking and labelling, improper packing, and inadequate cargo securing. These can increase the risks of cargo damage, container losses and ship fires.
“Finding deficiencies in more than one in ten inspected units is far too high,” Joe Kramek, WSC president and CEO, said in a statement. “Correct declaration, packing, securing and marking are fundamental safety obligations. When these requirements are not met, people’s lives are put at risk,” he said.
The report consolidates inspection data submitted to the IMO by Chile, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United States.
WSC raised concerns over this limited number of countries reporting inspection results.
As only seven of IMO’s more than 170 member states submitted container inspection results for 2025, this leaves gaps in the global picture of cargo safety compliance and enforcement, according to WSC.
“States have a responsibility to enforce cargo safety rules, including through effective inspections,” said Kramek. “The fact that only seven Member States reported results is concerning. More governments need to report their inspections so that risks can be consistently identified and action taken.”
WSC took over the consolidation and publication of the results after the IMO discontinued its annual consolidated report in 2024, saying the move keeps the safety information accessible to governments and industry.
READ: WSC revives cargo inspection deficiency data
“States have a responsibility to enforce cargo safety rules, including through effective inspections,” said Kramek. “The fact that only seven Member States reported results is concerning. More governments need to report their inspections so that risks can be consistently identified and action taken.”
The 2024 report, also with only seven port states submitting data, showed that 11.39% of inspected cargo shipments were found to have deficiencies, up slightly from the IMO’s final 2023 figure of 11%. The 2023 level, on the other hand, was 3.16 percentage points up from 7.84% in 2022.
The compliance and enforcement gaps underscore the importance of the WSC Cargo Safety Program, which uses shared screening technology, common inspection standards and operational feedback to help identify misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods before they are loaded aboard ships.
