The World Shipping Council (WSC) has called on governments to address a gap in international dangerous goods rules that may allow containers carrying thousands of lithium batteries to be transported without carriers being informed of the potential hazard.

The concern involves Special Provision 188 of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. The provision exempts certain smaller lithium batteries from some dangerous goods requirements when they meet specified testing, packaging and capacity conditions. According to the WSC, however, the provision does not set a limit on the number of qualifying batteries that may be consolidated inside a single container.

The U.S. Coast Guard records that more than 500,000 people were safely evacuated by water in less than eight hours, describing the operation as the largest maritime evacuation in recorded history. Retired Rear Adm. Mike Day, who was a Coast Guard lieutenant at the time, recalled issuing a call for mariners to assist as people gathered along the waterfront seeking a way out.

Marking the anniversary, U.S. Maritime Administrator Stephen Carmel paid tribute to the merchant mariners who answered the call despite the uncertainty surrounding the attacks. He said their service remains part of the maritime community\'s legacy, while the Coast Guard has continued to recognize the boatlift as an example of cooperation between government personnel, commercial mariners and civilian vessel operators during a national emergency.