TT’s risk management director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox said: “TT Club contends that training of shore-based operatives is vital in increasing safety throughout the transport chain and urges national maritime administrations and ship registries to support the proposal,” he said.

In support of TT Club’s case, Mr Storr-Fox pointed to industry figures that show that between 5% and 10% of an average containership’s payload is made up of declared hazardous goods. On the super post-panamax 8,500 teu vessels plying the Asia-Europe trade that means the contents, of upwards of 600 containers is declared hazardous. At conservative estimates that equates to 8,000 tonnes per ship.