World Shipping Council Calls for IMO Action on Lithium Battery Cargo Safety Gap

The World Shipping Council is urging governments to close what it says is a dangerous loophole in international shipping rules that can allow containers packed with thousands of lithium batteries to move without carriers knowing they are onboard.

The issue centers on Special Provision 188 of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, which exempts certain smaller lithium batteries from some dangerous goods requirements when they meet specific testing, packaging and capacity limits.

But WSC says the exemption does not limit how many qualifying batteries can be packed into a single container.

That means a container carrying roughly 4,200 laptops could hold about 416 kWh of stored energy — comparable to three or four electric vehicles — without requiring dangerous goods documentation or placarding, according to the group.

“Right now, a container can be packed with thousands of lithium batteries and still travel without being declared as dangerous goods,” said WSC President and CEO Joe Kramek. “The SP188 exemption was intended to simplify the transport of individual devices with small batteries, not to make entire container loads invisible.”

The concern is growing as battery shipments continue to rise and cargo fires remain a persistent safety issue for the shipping industry.

Global lithium-ion battery deployment in 2025 was six times higher than in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency, while battery demand is expected to double by 2030. Allianz statistics cited by WSC show a container ship fire occurs on average every 17 days.

WSC stressed that batteries are routinely transported safely when cargoes are properly declared and the associated risks are understood. The problem, it says, is when ship operators, crews, ports and emergency responders are unaware that a large concentration of batteries is present.

Without that information, carriers may be unable to make informed decisions about stowage, segregation from other cargo or emergency response planning.

“We know what can happen when hazards are invisible,” Kramek said. “Batteries shipped under the exemption have caused serious container fires, putting people, ports, ships and the marine environment at risk.”

WSC, backed by five governments and a broader group of industry organizations, has submitted a proposal to the International Maritime Organization calling for a container-level threshold for batteries shipped under the exemption.

Once that threshold is exceeded, the shipment would have to be declared and could also be subject to placarding requirements.

“The current rules are not working as intended,” Kramek said. “As battery shipments continue to grow, we need a better solution that makes these cargoes visible and allows the risks to be properly managed.”

The proposal will be considered at the IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers, which meets in London from Sept. 14-18.

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