The IMDG Code - International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code - is mandatory as from January 1, 2004 ; ensuring uniformity of regulations worldwide for the safe transport by sea of dangerous goods and marine pollutants.

Uniform global rules for the safe transport by sea of dangerous goods and marine pollutants in packaged form are now compulsory, following the entry into force on 1 January 2004 of the 2002 amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, making the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code mandatory.

Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos, IMO Secretary-General said: "The IMDG Code is a key IMO instrument which is crucial for the secure multimodal transport of dangerous goods. The Code's detailed technical requirements are now globally enforceable by maritime Administrations worldwide and this should ensure that ships carrying substances covered by the Code do so safely and reliably, and without polluting the oceans"

The IMDG Code was developed as a uniform international code for the transport of dangerous goods by sea covering such matters as packing,marking, labelling and stowage of dangerous goods with particular reference to the segregation of incompatible substances.

The decision to make the Code mandatory followed years of its application as a recommendatory instrument since its adoption by the fourth IMO Assembly in 1965. Since then, the Code has undergone many changes, both in appearance and content to keep pace with the ever changing needs of the industry.

The IMDG Code contains detailed recommendations for individual substances, materials and articles, as well as a number of recommendations for good operational practice including advice on terminology, packing, labelling, stowage, segregation and handling, and emergency response action.

The two-volume Code is divided into seven parts - Volume 1 (parts 1, 2 and 4 to 7 of the Code) contains sections on:

- General provisions, definitions and training
- Classification
- Consignment procedures
- Construction and testing of packagings, International Bulk Containers (IBCs), large packagings, portable tanks and road tank vehicles
- Transport operations

Volume 2 (part 3, appendix A and appendix B) contains sections on:

- Dangerous Goods List
- limited quantities exceptions
- Proper shipping Names including generic and N.O.S. (not otherwise specified) entries
- Glossary of Terms
- Index

Application of the IMDG Code is compulsory under the 2002 amendments to SOLAS but the Code also contains provisions of a recommendatory nature which are explicitly stated in chapter 1.1 of the Code and, in addition, are clearly expressed in the Code by the use of the word "should" instead of "shall" to clarify their status.


The provisions of the following parts of the Code are recommendatory:

- Chapter 1.3 (Training)
- Chapter 2.1 (Explosives, Introductory Notes 1 to 4 only)
- Chapter 2.3, section 2.3.3 (Determination of flashpoint only)
- Chapter 3.2 (columns 15 and 17 of the Dangerous Goods List only)
- Chapter 3.5 (Transport schedules for Class 7 radioactive material only)
- Chapter 5.4, section 5.4.5 (Multimodal dangerous goods form)
- Chapter 7.3 (Special requirements in the event of an incident and fire precautions involving dangerous goods only)
- Appendix B

IMO - the International Maritime Organization - is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

Web site: www.imo.org
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