The IMDG Code

Question 1

What is the IMDG (the International Maritime Dangerous Goods)?

Answer 1

many countries have their own national laws concerning the packing and carriage of dangerous goods, and any movement of those goods must take into account the law of the country where the country started, of any country through which the goods will pass and of the country of destination.

The IMDG closely mirrors other does for the carriage of dangerous goods by other modes of transport published by the UN.

Question 2

The IMDG sets out…

Answer 2

Rules for the classification
Packing
Stowage of the goods

Recognising that they need care and attention
Some need to kept well part from other goods.

Question 3

under the code, the various categories of substance have identifying stickers

Answer 3

That should be prominently displayed

E.g. on the sides of a container carrying the substances in question

Question 4

How main categories of substance under the code are there?

Answer 4

Nine:

Class 1: Explosives
Class 2: Gases
Class 3: Flammable liquids
- key danger: escape of fumes which may be both flammable and toxic

Class 4: Flammable solids, substances liable to spontaneous combustion, substances which, when in contact with water, emit flammable gas
- to monitor for any unexplained rise in temperature

Class 5: Oxidising substances and organic peroxides
- kept well away from combustible material
- can combust spontaneously and some of them should be stored under controlled temperatures.
- ‘OXIDISING’ = substance will give off oxygen, which will serve to fuel any fire burning nearby.
- ‘OXIDISING’ = combining with oxygen to produce an oxide - e.g. the rusting process.

Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances

Question 5

Continuance of the 9 categories of substance under the IMDG code

Answer 5

Class 7: Radioactive material
- movement of goods in this category often requires state approval
- requires special permission from the Panama Canal Authority if goods are to transit the Panama Canal
- packed in special containers and stowed as far away from the crew accommodation as possible.

Class 8: Corrosive Substances
- if goods within this category escape from their containers (usually drums) there’s will be a danger both to human healthy and other cargoes and to the structure of the ship.

Class 9: Miscellaneous
- includes any other goods not within the previous classes that are deemed to be dangerous

Question 6

Dangerous goods should be…

Answer 6

Segregated where possible
care taken to ensure that good that will react to water are not stowed close to items that have a water base or that might give off water during the voyage