Hazcheck Detect
AI-Powered Cargo Screening. Safer Shipments.
Hazcheck Detect combines artificial intelligence, machine learning, anomaly detection and advanced screening rules to help shipping lines identify potentially undeclared or misdeclared dangerous goods.
By analysing cargo booking information and identifying unusual patterns, suspicious declarations and potential risk indicators, Detect supports earlier investigation and intervention before unsafe cargo is loaded.
- 1 Million+cargo bookings screened every dayBooking information checked for indicators of potentially undeclared or misdeclared dangerous goods.
Selected technology providerNCB was selected by the World Shipping Council to provide technology for its Cargo Safety Program, which builds on Hazcheck Detect. Read more
Machine learning and anomaly detection
Intelligent Screening Beyond Traditional Keywords
Undeclared or misdeclared dangerous goods present a significant challenge to cargo safety.
Cargo descriptions may be incomplete, inaccurate, misleading or inconsistent with the goods being shipped. Some declarations contain terminology that does not clearly identify potentially hazardous contents.
Traditional keyword screening provides an important layer of protection, but suspicious cargo is not always identified through known terms alone.
Hazcheck Detect combines established screening rules with machine learning and anomaly detection to identify additional indicators of potential risk. By analysing cargo booking characteristics and unusual patterns alongside known dangerous goods indicators, Detect helps shipping lines identify shipments that may warrant closer examination.
- Cargo description
- COSMETICS AND TOILETRIES, 1 X 40′ HC, 22 PALLETS, 1,840 CARTONS, HS 3304.99
- Booking details
- Amended after confirmation
- Rules and keywordsDescription associated with aerosols and perfumes
- Machine learningDescription and booking characteristics associated with dangerous goods
- Anomaly detectionBooking characteristics differ from the expected pattern
Advanced Cargo Risk Detection
AI-Powered Dangerous Cargo Detection
Machine learning models trained on millions of cargo bookings help identify cargo descriptions and booking characteristics associated with potentially undeclared or misdeclared dangerous goods.
This provides an additional layer of screening alongside established rules and specialist dangerous goods knowledge.
Anomaly and Behavioural Detection
Identify unusual booking characteristics, inconsistencies and patterns that may indicate elevated risk.
Anomaly detection helps highlight information that may deserve further investigation, even where conventional keyword screening does not identify an obvious issue.
Advanced Keyword and Rules Screening
Screen cargo information against extensive libraries of dangerous goods terminology, known risk indicators and configurable screening rules.
These established techniques remain an important part of Detect’s overall screening approach.
Real-Time Booking Screening
Analyse cargo booking information as it enters or changes within operational systems.
Changes to cargo descriptions, declarations, shipping instructions and other relevant booking information can trigger further screening, helping organisations identify potential issues before loading.
Risk Scoring and Prioritisation
Combine screening results and relevant indicators to help users identify potentially higher-risk bookings.
Operational teams can focus their attention on shipments requiring additional review rather than treating every booking in the same way.
Integrated Case Management
Support the investigation and management of suspicious cargo bookings through structured case management processes.
Users can review screening results, investigate potential issues and record appropriate follow-up actions.
API Integration
Integrate Hazcheck Detect with existing carrier booking and cargo management systems.
Automated screening reduces the need for separate manual processes and helps bring cargo risk identification into existing operational workflows.
From Detection to Prevention
Hazcheck Detect is designed to support action before potential cargo risks develop into incidents.
By identifying suspicious declarations and unusual booking characteristics earlier in the shipping process, Detect helps organisations investigate potential problems while there is still an opportunity to intervene.
Its combination of automated screening, risk prioritisation and structured investigation supports better-informed decisions and more consistent cargo safety processes.
- Earlier Risk Identification Highlight potentially dangerous cargo before it is loaded.
- Greater Screening Coverage Apply automated screening consistently across large volumes of cargo bookings.
- More Focused Investigations Help operational teams prioritise suspicious shipments.
- Reduced Manual Effort Automate repeatable screening tasks and support more efficient investigation workflows.
- Improved Operational Awareness Identify risk indicators and unusual booking patterns that may otherwise be overlooked.
Proven at Global Shipping Scale
With more than one million cargo bookings screened daily, Hazcheck Detect operates at the scale required by major international shipping organisations.
Its high-volume screening capability supports the identification of potentially undeclared or misdeclared dangerous goods within complex cargo booking environments.
The combination of large-scale operational experience, continuously developed screening knowledge and machine learning provides a foundation for increasingly sophisticated cargo risk identification.
Supporting Industry-Wide Cargo Safety
Hazcheck Detect forms part of NCB Hazcheck’s wider approach to improving cargo safety across the maritime supply chain.
NCB was selected by the World Shipping Council to provide technology supporting its Cargo Safety Program, an industry initiative designed to strengthen cargo screening, information sharing and safety processes. The programme’s solution builds on Hazcheck Detect and is provided and operated by NCB as an independent third-party vendor; it is distinct from the standard Hazcheck Detect product.
Hazcheck Detect’s capabilities reflect the growing importance of combining technology, industry collaboration and specialist cargo safety expertise to address the risks associated with undeclared and misdeclared cargo.
- Hazcheck Detect received the King’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation in 2024.
Developed Through NCB’s Cargo Safety Expertise
Hazcheck Detect combines the dangerous goods knowledge and cargo safety experience of NCB with technology developed by NCB Hazcheck.
This brings together specialist regulatory expertise, real-world shipping knowledge, established screening techniques and advanced machine learning.
Rather than relying on a single detection method, Hazcheck Detect uses complementary approaches to support more effective cargo risk identification.
Identifies potentially undeclared or misdeclared dangerous goods by screening cargo booking information for risk indicators.
Validates declared dangerous goods information against the relevant regulatory requirements and business rules.
Smarter Screening. Safer Cargo.
Discover how AI-powered cargo screening can help your organisation identify hidden risks and strengthen its cargo safety processes.
Frequently asked questions
Does Hazcheck Detect decide whether cargo is dangerous?
No. Hazcheck Detect flags bookings that show indicators of potential risk so that your team can review them. An alert does not by itself confirm that cargo contains dangerous goods or that a shipment has been misdeclared. Decisions about further investigation, inspection or acceptance remain with your operational teams.
How do machine learning and screening rules work together?
Rules and keyword libraries identify known indicators of dangerous goods in cargo descriptions and booking details. Machine learning and anomaly detection add a further layer, helping to identify booking characteristics and patterns associated with potential risk that keywords alone may not capture. The results are brought together so that teams can prioritise the bookings that most warrant review.
What is the difference between undeclared and misdeclared dangerous goods?
Undeclared dangerous goods are shipped without being declared as dangerous goods at all. Misdeclared dangerous goods are declared, but not correctly, for example with the wrong classification or description. Hazcheck Detect screens for indicators of both.
How are false positives managed?
Screening rules can be configured and refined so that the results returned are relevant for follow-up, and the libraries of rules are continually enhanced as new risks emerge. Configurable case management workflows help teams assess priority cases quickly and record the outcome of each review.
Can screening rules be shared across the industry?
Yes. Libraries of keywords and rules can be shared between industry partners, supporting a more consistent approach to cargo screening across carriers and alliances.
How does Hazcheck Detect integrate with our systems?
Hazcheck Detect is API based. It can receive full booking data from your systems and rescreen whenever booking details change. Results can be returned as API responses or reviewed in the Hazcheck Detect case management interface. Specific integrations, screening options and workflows depend on the selected implementation.
Which goods are commonly shipped undeclared?
Our screening intelligence, built from the cases raised across Hazcheck Detect customers, points to a consistent set of commodities: lead-acid batteries, air bag inflators and seatbelt pretensioners, aerosols and perfumes, oil-based paints, adhesives and sealants, fuels and fuel gels, fireworks and flares, fire extinguishers, pool chlorinating chemicals, ammonium nitrate fertilisers, pesticides and refrigerant gases, along with vehicles, engines and powered equipment.
