With new data and technological innovation, the maritime industry must re-evaluate cargo handling protocols and develop more resilient fire mitigation strategies to address growing risks at sea, argues Alicia Lee, Chief Operating Officer at GSBN. On a summer morning in June 2025, a carrier vessel called the Morning Midas caught fire in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The entire crew on board had to abandon ship to escape flames. The Morning Midas, along with the electric vehicles it was carrying that started the blaze, now rests at the bottom of the ocean.
Experts attribute the rise of shipboard fires to the growing volume of dangerous goods being transported and traded globally – for example, lithium-ion batteries, which are the key components in electric vehicles. According to McKinsey’s Battery 2030 Report, global demand for lithium-ion batteries is projected to skyrocket in the coming decade. Estimates indicate a surge from approximately 700 GWh in 2022 to around 4.7 TWh by 2030. This trend has significantly heightened the risk of fire incidents across maritime supply chains and there needs to be methods to preventing the next lithium fire at sea.
Lithium batteries, if damaged, overcharged, or exposed to high temperatures, can release toxic, flammable and explosive gases. These conditions can also trigger “thermal runway”, a rapid, self-sustaining fire that may lead to violent explosions.
While carriers and industry experts are aware of the crucial role played by temperature related protocols in preventing battery fires, there is currently no universal protocol in place for carriers to action. With new data and technological innovation, the maritime industry must re-evaluate cargo handling protocols and develop more resilient fire mitigation strategies to address growing risks at sea.
For example, at the Shanghai Container Terminal in China, a water sprinkler system is automatically activated when temperatures rise above 35°C, helping cool down cargo containers and reduce fire risk. Some vessels take a different approach by focusing on the thermal properties of container coatings. Studies show that containers with white coating can maintain internal temperatures up to 20°C lower than general containers with maroon coating under direct sunlight. Others adhere to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) IMDG Code, which outlines safety protocols for transporting dangerous goods by sea.
The global trade industry also deals with gaps in information exchange when transporting goods. Paper-based declarations remain vulnerable to fraud and misdeclaration, and verifying such documents is often slow and unreliable. The fragmented landscape and the lack of interoperability across digital systems — where protocols vary by company, port of entry, and destination—create inefficiencies and increases operational risk.
Ultimately, we need robust digital first solutions that minimise error and establish universal protocols. These systems should give manufacturers, shippers, and terminals the confidence that cargo will be handled safely and that vessels won’t be compromised by preventable risks.
This is where blockchain technology is beginning to play a transformative role in maritime logistics. As the industry faces increasing pressure to meet stringent safety standards, digital platforms are helping carriers streamline certification processes and ensure compliance. By establishing direct connections between carriers and accredited laboratories, some systems now enable secure, tamper-proof sharing of safety documentation once evaluations are complete. These innovations not only improve data integrity but also reduce delays and manual errors.
Currently, several major carriers have already begun adopting such platforms to simplify their certification workflows. For example, COSCO and OOCL are actively streamlining their certification processes, while MSC is currently evaluating similar solutions with its customers. The ability to share documents seamlessly and ensure interoperability across systems points to the potential for a broader, global certificate pool—one that could help close the data gaps currently challenging the industry.
Standardising a protocol for data exchange is crucial when establishing effective communication between parties. For instance, the SMDG standard includes defined attribute codes for temperature-sensitive cargo, such as LIO for Lithium-Ion Batteries. These codes should be consistently captured across key messages like the Container Announcement (COPARN), Gate-in/Gate-out Report (CODECO), Discharge/Loading Report (COARRI), and Stowage Plan (BAPLIE) to ensure alignment across carriers, terminals, and regulatory bodies.
In parallel, emerging technologies offer promising avenues for risk mitigation. Real-time temperature monitoring is gaining traction, with tools such as Thermal Imaging Cameras (TICs), Temperature Data Loggers, and Portable Weather Stations enabling vessel and terminal operators to track container conditions and ambient weather. When infrared temperature-scanning systems are integrated with existing port infrastructure, hazardous containers can be proactively monitored and prevention systems triggered sooner.
In today’s fast-evolving maritime world, the absence of common digital and temperature protocols is not just a technical inconvenience, it is an existential threat to the safety, transparency, and efficiency of global supply chains. GSBN’s latest whitepaper, “GSBN Insights: Fires at Sea, a New Landscape, Risk Mitigation Strategies for Safe Transport”, encapsulates these challenges and charts a course for the future. It is imperative that we embrace collaborative innovation to ensure long term resilience: working with standards bodies like the IMO and SMDG, alongside technology providers and terminal operators, to build interoperable systems that support safe and sustainable trade.
Download the whitepaper: GSBN Insights Aug 2025: Fires At Sea A New Landscape