Hapag-Lloyd adopts new screening tool from NCB Group

Hapag-Lloyd has adopted a new screening tool from NCB Group for mis-declared and undeclared dangerous goods.

The ocean carrier has signed an agreement to adopt Hazcheck Detect cargo screening tool – a solution developed and set to be delivered as a software-as-a-service solution by NCB’s software division, Exis Technologies.

The software scans all cargo booking details for keywords and includes an industry library to enable suspicious bookings that may be mis-declared or undeclared dangerous goods to be flagged. With this interactive service, last-minute changes to bookings, declarations, Bills of Lading and shipping instructions can be picked up in real-time.

“We are delighted that Hapag-Lloyd has adopted Hazcheck Detect for their cargo screening, joining A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) and Ocean Network Express (ONE),” said Ian Lennard, President of the NCB Group. “It is a major boost that this industry solution will be used on a top container line with a long history of experience and interest in cargo screening themselves.

“Hapag-Lloyd was a trail-blazer in the creation of an industry solution with common rules. Working with container lines like Hapag-Lloyd will help us to further develop the tool using machine learning and AI techniques to enhance the screening processes as part of our not-for-profit mission, Safety of Life and Cargo at Sea.

“Data across our Hazcheck tools will help us enhance the screening process using validation results and feedback from container inspections, helping with safety throughout the whole dangerous goods shipping process.”

Hapag-Lloyd has already been a customer of NCB and Exis Technologies’ Hazcheck Detect for many years as it previously used Hazcheck IMDG Code validation tools for undeclared dangerous goods cargo in its booking processes.

NCB has also previously worked with the carrier on container inspections, including in its 2018 container inspections safety initiative, an industry project to gather more in-depth data on container safety.

Ken Rohlmann, Senior Director of Dangerous Goods at Hapag-Lloyd, added “We are pleased to be adopting this important industry solution. We have been a strong advocate of this kind of screening approach for some time and are glad to be one of the first companies to adopt this new technology.

“The key criteria for moving to Hazcheck Detect was the desire to have a common screening approach for all major container lines to help avoid undeclared cargo rejected by one line being presented again as a booking to another line.

“Hazcheck Detect with three major container lines on board is well on the way to creating this common industry solution. We are extremely pleased to be working alongside NCB and Exis Technologies in this venture and we encourage all other major container lines to engage with the service.”

In other recent news, Hapag-Lloyd has updated its North Sea Poland Express (NPX) service which connects regions in Europe.

The update came into effect from the start of the new year and now will only include the ports of Hamburg and Gdynia. In Hamburg, the NPX service is set to call at Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) and Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT).

https://www.porttechnology.org/news/hapag-lloyd-adopts-new-screening-tool-from-ncb-group/