IMDG Code

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code is the framework that makes it safe to carry hazardous materials in packaged form aboard ships. Developed by the IMO and given mandatory force under SOLAS, with pollution aspects tied to MARPOL, it addresses the reality that ships routinely carry goods that are flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive, infectious or environmentally harmful, and that these must be handled and stowed with great care to protect the crew, the ship and the marine environment. The code provides a single, internationally consistent set of rules so that dangerous goods can move through the global transport chain safely.

The IMDG Code classifies dangerous goods into hazard classes — such as explosives, gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidising substances, toxic and infectious substances, radioactive materials and corrosives, and identifies individual substances by a UN number and proper shipping name. For each it lays down requirements for packaging that will contain the goods safely, for marking and labelling so the hazard is clearly shown, and for the transport documents that must accompany the cargo and declare its nature. Crucially, it sets rules for stowage aboard the ship and for segregation — keeping incompatible substances apart so that, for example, materials that could react dangerously together are not stowed near one another.

Compliance with the IMDG Code shapes how dangerous cargo is booked, packed, documented and loaded. Shippers must declare and correctly describe dangerous goods, packers must certify that containers are properly packed, and the ship's officers must plan stowage and segregation in accordance with the code, taking account of the hazards and of any special requirements. Training is mandatory for those involved in handling these cargoes ashore and afloat. Because a mistake with dangerous goods can lead to fire, explosion, poisoning or pollution, the IMDG Code ranks among the most safety-critical bodies of rules in shipping, and it is regularly updated to reflect new substances and lessons learned from incidents.