IMDG Code Introduction

IMDG Code:
The IMDG code is a very much living document and gets amended from time to time (every
2 years). In the last decade major changes were made to Ems-emergency medical schedule,
MFAG and INF codes (carriage of nuclear materials).

IMDG Code means the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code adopted by
the Maritime Safety Committee of the Organization by resolution MSC.122(75)

The objective of the IMDG Code is to enhance the safe carriage of dangerous goods while
facilitating the free unrestricted movement of such goods and prevent pollution to the
environment.

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME DANGEROUS GOODS CODE:

• It gives a uniform international code of dangerous goods for transportation by sea.

• It gives methods of packing in packets or in container, stowage and segregation of
incompatible substances.

Legal status of IMDG code:

• The IMDG code is a legal document under chapter VII part A of SOLAS 1974 as
amended.
• Regulation VII/1.3 prohibits the carriage of dangerous goods by sea except when
carried in accordance with the IMDG code.
• MARPOL 73/78, annex III, regulation 1(2) prohibits the carriage of harmful
substances in ships except when carried in accordance with the IMDG code.

Application and implementation of IMDG Code:

• The provisions contained in this Code are applicable to all ships to which the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS 74), as
amended, applies and which are carrying dangerous goods as defined in regulation 1
of part A of chapter VII of that Convention.

The provisions of regulation II-2/19 of that Convention apply to passenger ships and to cargo
ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002. For:

1. A passenger ship constructed on or after 1 September 1984 but before 1 July 2002; or
2. A cargo ship of 500 gross tons or over constructed on or after 1 September 1984 but
before 1 July 2002; or
3. A cargo ship of less than 500 gross tons constructed on or after 1 February 1992 but
before 1 July 2002,
4. For cargo ships of less than 500 gross tons constructed on or after 1 September 1984
and before 1 February 1992, it is recommended that Contracting Governments extend
such application to these cargo ships as far as possible.
 5. All ships, irrespective of type and size, carrying substances, material or articles
identified in this Code as marine pollutants are subject to the provisions of this Code.

The aim of IMDG code is:

• To regulate the transport by sea of dangerous goods to reasonably prevent injury to

person or damage to the ship.
• To regulate transport by sea of marine pollutant to prevent harm to the marine
environment.

The contents of IMDG code:

• The code is composed of 7 parts. The code is presented in two books, volume 1 and
volume 2.
• It is necessary to use both books to obtain the required information when shipping
dangerous goods by sea.

Volume – 1

Part – 1: General provision, definitions and training.

Part – 2: Classification.

Part – 4: Packing and tank provision.

Part – 5: Consignment procedure.

Part – 6: Construction and testing of packings intermediate bulk containers, large packing
portable tanks and road tank vehicles.

Part – 7: Provision concerning transport operation.

Volume – 2

Part – 3: Dangerous goods list and limited quantity exceptions.

The Dangerous Goods List is the central core of the IMDG Code and presents information on
the transport requirements for all dangerous goods in a coded form.

Following are the supplements of IMDG code:

1. EMS guide – emergency reponse procedures for ships carrying dangerous goods.
2. MFA guide – medical first aid guide for using accidents envolving dangerous goods.
3. Reporting procedures
4. IMO / ILO / UN number for packing cargo transport units.
5. Recommendations on the safe use of the pesticides in ships.
6. INF code – International code for the safe carriage of packaged irradiated nuclear fuel
,
7. Plutonium and high level radioactive waves on board ships.
Classes of Dangerous Cargo are:

Class 1: Explosives

Division 1.1: substances and articles which have a mass explosion hazard

Division 1.2: substances and articles which have a projection hazard but not a mass explosion
hazard

Division 1.3: substances and articles which have a fire hazard and either a minor blast hazard
or a minor projection hazard or both, but not a mass explosion hazard

Division 1.4: substances and articles which present no significant hazard

Division 1.5: very insensitive substances which have a mass explosion hazard

Division 1.6: extremely insensitive articles which do not have a mass explosion hazard.

Class 2: Gases

Class 2.1: flammable gases

Class 2.2: non-flammable, non-toxic gases

Class 2.3: toxic gases

Class 3: Flammable liquids

Class 4: Flammable solids; substances liable to spontaneous combustion; substances which,

in contact with water, emit flammable gases

Class 4.1: flammable solids, self-reactive substances and solid desensitized explosives

Class 4.2: substances liable to spontaneous combustion

Class 4.3: substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases.

Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides

Class 5.1: oxidizing substances

Class 5.2: organic peroxides

Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances

Class 6.1: toxic substances

Class 6.2: infectious substances

Class 7: Radioactive material

Class 8: Corrosive substances

Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles

The numerical order of the classes and divisions is not that of the degree of danger.

Class 10: Marine pollutants

Marine pollutants shall be classified in accordance with chapter 2.9.3 in IMDG Code.
IMDG Cargoes – Dangerous Goods Classes

The documents required for carriage of IMDG cargo are:-

• Shipping declaration
• Document of compliance
• Dangerous goods manifest
Objective of IMDG Code:

1. Enhance the safe carriage of dangerous goods by all modes of transportation.

2. Facilitate free and unrestricted movement.
3. Bring worldwide uniformity in their carriage regulations.
4. Prevent injury to personnel.
5. Prevent damage to ship and her cargoes.
6. Regulate the carriage of marine pollutant so as to prevent damage to marin
environment.

Shipper’s Declaration of Dangerous Goods:

The legislation requires a declaration from the consignor (shipper) stating that the goods
declared are classified and packed correctly and also a declaration from the person packing
the container that it has been done so correctly, these are Dangerous Goods Declaration and
the Container Packing Certificate.

These declarations may be in any format, but must be in accordance with the regulations of
the IMDG code, Chapter 5.4 refers (an example is given below) Often, the Dangerous Goods
Declaration is combined with the Container Packing Certificate into one document, generally
known as the Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form.

These documents can also known as Dangerous Goods Note (DGN), Dangerous Goods
Declaration (DGD), Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form (MDGF), Shippers Declaration, and
Dangerous Cargo Declaration (DCD)

The information required on the documents is as follows:

Shipper – full name and address

Consignee – full name and address

Description of goods in sequence

a) UN number (preceded by UN)

b) Proper Shipping Name including technical name (if required)

c) Primary IMO class, secondary, tertiary

d) Packing Group

Information which supplements the Proper Shipping Name in the dangerous goods
description (If applicable)

• Technical names for “n.o.s.” and other generic descriptions

 • Empty uncleaned packagings, bulk containers and tanks
• Wastes
• Elevated temperature substances
• Marine Pollutants
• Flashpoint
• Mass kg gross/ net

In addition to the dangerous goods description the following information shall be included
after the dangerous goods description on the dangerous goods transport document.

Total quantity of dangerous goods: – This includes the weight in Kilos of each substance, as
well as the number and type of packaging.

Also to be included if applicable;

• Limited quantities
• Salvage packagings
• Substances stabilized by temperature control
• Control and Emergency temperature: ….° C
• Aerosols – If the capacity of an aerosol is above 1000ml, this shall be declared.

Statement: “Dangerous goods being transported have been packed, labeled & declared in
accordance with standard international shipping regulation & IMDG code”

Segregation of Dangerous Goods:

This section has tables for following:

1. Segregation for dangerous goods carried in packaged form: this is given in the form of
a table. Stating the type of segregation required between classes of cargo, excluding
class 1, which has an altogether separate table. The terms used for segregation are:

Away from:
Effectively segregated so that the incompatible
goods cannot interact dangerously in the event of an
accident but may be transported in the same
compartment or hold or on deck, provided a
minimum horizontal separation of 3 m, projected
vertically, is obtained.
Separated from:
In different compartments or holds when stowed
under deck. Provided the intervening deck is
resistant to fire and liquid, a vertical separation, i.e.,
in different compartments, may be accepted as
equivalent to this segregation. For on deck stowage,
this segregation means a separation by a distance of
at least 6 m horizontally.

Separated by a complete compartment or hold from:

Either a vertical or a horizontal separation. If the
intervening decks are not resistant to fire and liquid,
then only a longitudinal separation, i.e., by an
intervening complete compartment or hold, is
acceptable. For on deck stowage, this segregation
means a separation by a distance of at least 12 m
horizontally. The same distance has to be applied if
one package is stowed on deck, and the other one in
an upper compartment.

Note: One of the two decks must be

resistant to fire and to liquid.

Separated longitudinally by an intervening complete

compartment or hold from:
Vertical separation alone does not meet this
requirement. Between a package under deck and one
on deck, a minimum distance of 24 m, including a
complete compartment, must be maintained
longitudinally. For on deck stowage, this
segregation means a separation by a distance of at
least 24 m longitudinally.

Legend

Reference package. . . . . . . . . .

Package containing incompatible goods . . .

Deck resistant to fire and liquid. .

Note: Vertical lines represent transverse watertight bulkheads between cargo spaces.

• For containers the table is the same as above but the meaning of the above segregation
terms is different.
• For hatch coverless type container vessel, the table is again the same but the meanings
of the above segregation terms are different.
• There is a separate table for ro-ro vessel.
• Separate table for segregation between cargo in bulk and cargo in packaged form.
• Segregation table for class 1 cargo which is by compatibility codes. Which are A to L,
N and S.

Precautions while Loading/ Carrying/ Discharging Dangerous Goods:

1. “No Smoking” signs to be put up & strictly enforced.

2. “No naked lights” permitted on the deck or in the holds.
3. Fire hoses to be rigged, fire main charged & other fire fighting apparatus kept in a
constant state of readiness.
4. Spark arresters to be fitted over the funnel, galley – exhausts & hold ventilators.
5. No hot work, chipping or painting to be in progress on deck to avoid creating sources
of ignition.
6. Flashlights, walkie-talkies etc. to be intrinsically safe.
7. No oily waste, wood, rope, gunny, etc, to be left in hold or on deck where it can catch
fire by spontaneous heating.
8. Fire patrol & gangway watches to be maintained.
9. Refer to the IMDG Code & findout the particulars for the cargo to be loaded with
regards to hazards (compatibility, stowage, segregation)
10. The appropriate international code of signals by day & by night is to be displayed.
11. No bunkering operation is to be carried out during loading or discharging.
12. Wireless transmission should not be done of voltage exceeding 50 volts.
13. Radar should not be operated during loading or discharge.
14. Forklifts should not be used in the vicinity of dangerous goods.
15. Loading is to be suspended if inclement weather threatens.
16. Defective packages should not be accident.
17. Port regulation is to be complied.
18. Explosive must be stowed in a magazine, which is a woodlined compartment,
sometimes specially constructed to stow explosives safely.
19. No electric cables should pass through the magazine, if this is unavoidable, the cable
should be sheathed by an approved, sealed, non combustible barrier & tested before
loading.
20. Explosive are unstable when wet & should be stowed in a cool, dry, well ventilated
space away from hot bulkhead or decks.
21. Electrical fittings must be disconnected in compartments containing dangerous goods.
22. Ventilation fans to the space must be flame-proof, if not disconnected.
23. Explosives must be stowed away from living quarters.
24. Masts must be fitted with an efficient lightning conductor as lightning presents a
grave danger.