Insurer Munich Re, together with the National Cargo Bureau (NCB) and the US Coast Guard, have launched a programme to tackle shipping’s growing problem with cargo fires.

The initiative involves using data compiled through the NCB and USCG’s hazardous cargo inspections and combining it with Munich Re’s predictive analytics capabilities.

The NCB inspects around 31,000 dangerous containerised goods leaving US ports annually to make sure the cargo being loaded on container ships is safe.