IMDG CODE

Welcome to this free introduction to the IMDG Code from Exis Technologies.
It should be read with reference to a printed or CD copy of the IMDG Code.
Where applicable, screens are referenced to the relevant IMDG Code clause.

The objective of the International Maritime Dangerous

Goods (IMDG) Code is to:
• Enhance the safe transport of dangerous goods
• Protect the marine environment
• Facilitate the free unrestricted movement of dangerous goods

The International Maritime Organization (IMO)

The IMO is a United Nations specialised agency which has developed international
legislation dealing with two key issues for the maritime industry:
• The safety of life at sea
• Prevention of pollution from ships
The IMO has developed two international conventions to address these issues:
• The SOLAS Convention (covering safety of life at sea)
• The MARPOL Convention (covering pollution prevention)

To supplement the principles laid down in the SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions,
the IMO developed the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
The IMDG code contains detailed technical specifications to enable dangerous
goods to be transported safely by sea.
The IMDG Code became mandatory for adoption by SOLAS signatory states from 1st
January 2004

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The IMDG Code is based on an internationally agreed
system which:
•Groups dangerous goods together based on the hazards they
present in transport (classification).
•Contains the dangerous goods in packagings/tanks which are of
appropriate strength and which will prevent the goods escaping.
•Uses hazard warning labels and other identifying marks to identify
dangerous goods in transport.
•Requires standard documentation to be provided when
dangerous goods are being transported.
•Lays down principles for ensuring that dangerous goods which will
react dangerously together are kept apart.
•Lays down principles for where to place dangerous goods on
board ship to ensure safe transport.
•Provides emergency response advice for dangerous goods
involved in a fire or spillage on board ship.

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Updating the IMDG Code
The IMDG Code is evolving and is updated every two years to take account of:
• New dangerous goods which have to be included.
• New technology and methods of working with or handling dangerous goods.
• Safety concerns which arise as a result of experience.
Each version of the Code is given an Amendment number to signify how many times
it has been updated. This number appears at the bottom of each page together with
the year of the Amendment.
The current Amendment is 33-06 which is valid until 31st December 2009.
However, from 1st January 2009 Amendment 34 08 can also be used because 2009
is a transition year which allows the use of both Amendments in tandem.
For full details and a tour of Amendment 34-08 please see www.imdgsupport.com

The Amendment Cycle of the IMDG Code

• Each Amendment is valid for
two years.
• There are alternating years for
implementation.
• In January of the yellow years, a
new Amendment is published
and can be used immediately,
subject to the timing of National
Competent Authority adoption.
• During the yellow years, the
preceding Amendment can also
be used, so it is a transition year.
• In the green years, only the current Amendment may be used.
Although the Code is updated every two years, the basic structure remains constant
and once you have understood it you will be able to easily locate information in the
future Amendment.
• The Code comprises 7 parts.

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• It 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.
• The Code also contains a Supplement.

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Volume 1 (Parts 1-2 & 4-7 of the Code) comprises:
Part 1 General provisions, definitions and training
Part 2 Classifications
Part 4 Packing and tank provisions
Part 5 Consignment procedures
Part 6 Construction and Testing of Packaging’s, Intermediate Bulk Containers
(IBCs), Large Packaging’s, Portable Tanks, Multi-Element Gas Containers (MEGCs)
and Road Tank Vehicles
Part 7 Requirements concerning transport operations

Volume 2 (Part 3 and the Appendices of the Code) comprises:

Part 3 Dangerous Goods List (DGL) and Limited Quantities Exceptions The DGL is
the central core of the IMDG Code and presents information on transport
requirements in a coded form
Appendix A List of Generic and N.O.S. (Not Otherwise Specified) Proper Shipping
Names
Appendix B Glossary of terms
Alphabetical Index

The supplement contains the following texts related to the Code:

• Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods
• Medical First Aid Guide
• Reporting Procedures
• IMO/ILO/ECE Guidelines for Packing Cargo Transport Units
• Safe Use of Pesticides in Ships
• International Code for the Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel,
Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on Board Ships

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The purpose of the IMDG Code s classification system is:
• To distinguish between goods which are considered to be dangerous for
transport and those which are not.
• To identify the dangers which are presented by dangerous goods in transport.
• To ensure that the correct measure are taken to enable these goods to be
transported safely without risk to persons or property (both within the port and
on the ship).

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Dangerous goods are classified into 9 classes according to properties. The way in
which different classes of dangerous goods are handled in transport will depend
upon these properties and hazards, for example:
• The type of packaging that can be used.
• What classes of dangerous goods can be transported together in freight
• containers.
• Where the goods can be stored within the port and on the ship.
The 9 classes:
Class 1 Explosives
Class 2 Gases
Class 3 Flammable liquids
Class 4 Flammable solids
Class 5 Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
Class 6 Toxic and infectious substances
Class 7 Radioactive material
Class 8 Corrosive substances
Class 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
The 9 hazard classes have been established internationally by a United Nations (UN)
committee to ensure that all modes of transport (road, rail, air and sea) classify
dangerous goods in the same way.
By testing the dangerous goods according to UN test procedures, a shipper is able
to classify dangerous goods according to the 9 hazard classes.

The hazard presented by each class is identified by an internationally accepted

hazard warning label (diamond). This appears on the outer packaging of the
dangerous goods when they are being transported as a warning to all those working
within the transport chain or coming into contact with them.
These hazard warning labels are pictured inside the front cover of Volume 1 of the
IMDG Code.

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UN Class Dangerous Goods Division(s) Classification

1 Explosive 1.1-1.6 Explosive

2.1 Flammable gas

Non- Flammable,
2 Gases 2.2
non-toxic gas

2.3 Toxic gas

3 Flammable liquid Flammable liquid

4.1 Flammable solid

Spontaneously combustible
4.2
substances
4 Flammable solids
Substance which in contact
4.3 with water emits Flammable
gas
5.1 Oxidising substance
5 Oxidising substances
5.2 Organic peroxide
6.1 Toxic substance
6 Toxic substances
6.2 Infectious substance

7 Radioactive material Radioactive material

8 Corrosive substances Corrosive substances

Miscellaneous Miscellaneous dangerous

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dangerous goods goods

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By PSN and UN Number
Within each of the 9 hazard classes dangerous goods are uniquely identified by
two pieces of information:
• A four-digit number known as the UN Number which is preceded by the letters
UN.
• The corresponding Proper Shipping Name (PSN) For example, kerosene is
identified in the IMDG Code by its UN Number UN 1223 and the PSN Kerosene.

Together the UN Number and PSN uniquely identify dangerous goods to:
• enable rapid and precise identification during transport to ensure the correct
handling, stowage, segregation etc., and
• in the event of an emergency, ensure that the correct procedures are followed.

Using a four-digit number to identify dangerous goods enhances safety by:

• Overcoming language barriers
- the four-digit number is easily understood in all languages
• Avoiding confusing similar names
- e.g. TITANIUM POWDER, WETTED UN 1352 which is a flammable solid in class
4.1 and has very different transport requirements to TITANIUM POWDER, DRY
UN 2546 which is spontaneously combustible in class 4.2
▪ The PSN must be used for transport purposes on documentation/labelling
etc.
▪ No alternatives or variations are permitted unless specifically stated.
▪ The PSN is that part of the name which appears in the Dangerous Goods List
or the Alphabetical Index in capital letters only.
▪ Any text in lower case is only descriptive and is not part of the PSN
▪ The DGL is presented across 2 pages of the IMDG Code and is divided into
18 columns for each individual dangerous good listed.
▪ Much of the information contained in the DGL is coded to make it easier to
present in a table.
▪ The DGL is arranged in UN Number order; column 1 and column 18 contains
the UN Number.

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 ▪ To look up an entry, you just need the UN Number.
▪ Dangerous goods can also be searched using the PSN.
▪ Therefore, if you do not have the UN Number but have the PSN, you can
find its associated UN Number by looking at the alphabetical index at the
back of Volume 2.

Column 1–UN Number

Contains the United Nations Number assigned by the United Nations Committee of
Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN List).
Column 2–Proper Shipping Name (PSN)
Contains the Proper Shipping Names in upper case characters which may have to
be followed by additional descriptive text in lower-case characters.
Column 3–Class or Division
Contains the class and, in the case of class 1, the division and compatibility group.
Column 4–Subsidiary Risk(s)
Contains the class number(s) of any subsidiary risk(s). This column also identifies a
dangerous goods as a marine pollutant or a severe marine pollutant as follows:
P Marine pollutant
PP Severe marine pollutant
• Marine pollutant only when containing 10%or more substance(s) identified
with ‘P’ or 1%or more substance(s) identified with ‘PP’ in this column or in the
Index.
Column 5–Packing Group
Contains the packing group number (i.e. I, II or III) where assigned to the substance
or article.
Column 6–Special Provisions
Contains a number referring to any special provision(s) indicated in chapter 3.3.
Column 7–Limited Quantities
Provides the maximum quantity per inner packaging.

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Column 8–Packing Instructions
Contains packing instructions for the transport of substances and articles.
Column 9–Special Packing Provisions
Contains special packing provisions.
Column 10–IBC Packing Instructions
Contains IBC instructions which indicate the type of IBC that can be used for the
transport. A code including the letters ‘IBC’ refers to packing instructions for the
use of IBCs described in chapter 6.5.
Column 11–IBC Special Provisions
Refers to special packing provisions applicable to the use of packing instructions
bearing the code ‘IBC’ in 4.1.4.2.
Column 12–IMO Tank Instructions
This column only applies to IMO portable tanks and road tank vehicles.
Column 13–UN Tank and Bulk Container Instructions
Contains T codes (see 4.2.5.2.6) applicable to the transport of dangerous goods in
portable tanks and road tank vehicles.
Column 14–Tank Special Provisions
Contains TP notes (see 4.2.5.3) applicable to the transport of dangerous goods in
portable tanks and road tank vehicles. The TP notes specified in this column apply
to the portable tanks specified in both columns 12and 13.
Column 15–EmS
Refers to the relevant emergency schedules for FIRE and SPILLAGE in ‘The EmS
Guide –Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods’.
Column 16–Stowage and Segregation
Contains the stowage and segregation provisions as prescribed in part 7.
Column 17–Properties and Observations
Contains properties and observations on the dangerous goods listed.

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Column 18–UN Number
Contains the United Nations Number assigned to a dangerous good by the United
Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN List).

In the 2002edition of the IMDG Code, training was introduced for the first time.
The training requirements have become mandatory starting with Amendment 34-
08. The IMO Member Governments recognised that the safe transport of dangerous
goods by sea is dependent upon the appreciation, by all persons involved, of the
risks involved and on a detailed understanding of the IMDG Code requirements.
For this reason, properly planned and maintained initial and re-training
programmes for all persons concerned with the transport of dangerous goods are
recommended.
These training requirements highlight the need for all shore-based personnel
involved in the shipment of dangerous goods to receive training commensurate
with their responsibilities. The IMDG Code defines shore-based personnel as those
who:
• classify dangerous goods and identify PSNs
• pack dangerous goods in packages
• mark, label or placard dangerous goods
• pack/unpack containers
• prepare transport documents
• offer dangerous goods for transport
• accept dangerous goods for transport
• handle dangerous goods in transport
• prepare dangerous goods loading/stowage plans
• load/unload dangerous goods in transport
• carry dangerous goods in transport
• enforce, survey or inspect for compliance with applicable rules and regulations

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Exis Technologies have developed an interactive computer based e-learning course.
Designed primarily for shore-based personnel, it allows the user to select training
relevant to their specific job functions and meets the requirements of section
1.3.1.5of the Code.
Further details on the course and a free demo are available at
www.imdge-learning.com

CLASSIFICATION OF DG
Class 1 Explosives e.g. blasting explosives, fireworks
Mine sites, fireworks displays

Orange

Class 2 Compressed Gases

Class 2.1 Flammable Gas

e.g. LP Gas, acetylene, aerosols

Red

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Class 2.2 Non -Flammable Non -Toxic Gases
e.g. argon, oxygen, nitrogen
Hospitals, engineering workshops

Green

Class 2.3 Toxic Gases

e.g. chlorine, ammonia
Swimming pools, sewerage plants, refrigeration
plants

White

Class 3 Flammable Liquids

e.g. petrol, kerosene, ethanol
Fuel terminals, paint stores
FLAMMABLE
LIQUID
3

Red

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Class 4 Flammable Solids
Class 4.1 Flammable solids
e.g. sulfur
Agricultural stores, chemical plants

Red-White

Class 4.2 Spontaneously Combustible Substances

e.g. xanthates (SEX, PAX), zirconium powder
These are substances liable to spontaneous
Combustion SPONTANEOUSLY
COMBUSTIBLE
4

White-Red

Class 4.3 Dangerous When Wet

e.g. aluminum phosphide
These are substances that in contact with water emit
flammable gases
DANGEROUS
WHENWET
4
Agricultural stores, grain handling yards
blue

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Class 5 Oxidizing Substances Yellow
Class 5.1 Oxidizing Agent
e.g. ammonium nitrate, solid pool chlorine

Explosives plants, pool shops Agricultural stores

Class 5.2 Organic Peroxides

e.g. MEKP (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide)

Fiberglass businesses e.g. pool manufacturers

(used as catalyst)

Yellow

Class 6 Poisons
Class 6.1 Toxic Substances
e.g. sodium cyanide, pesticides Mine sites, agricultural
stores

White

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Class 7 Radioactive Substances Yellow-White
e.g. uranium, cobalt 60, plutonium
Hospitals, universities, research facilities

Class 8 Corrosive Substances

e.g. hydrochloric acid, caustic soda
Mine sites, water treatment, electroplaters

white-Black

Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods

e.g. dry ice, PCBs, Fish meal – stabilized

black-White

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Content of a Dangerous Goods Declaration
The main content of a Dangerous Goods Declaration are as follows:
• Shipper name and address
• Consignee name and address
• Vessel name
• Vessel voyage number
• Container number
• Name and description of each dangerous good
• The technical name of each dangerous good
• Quantity
• UN number (united nation number)
• Hazzard class
• Packaging group – type and make

Class 1 & class 7 full details necessary

Dangerous goods packing certificate

A formal document of certification, signet by the person responsible for packing
designated dangerous goods into a container or loading onto a vehicle, which
declares that the materials have been packed and stowed in compliance with the
applicable regulation (IMDG or IATA)
The latest edition of this certificate is the dangerous goods container/trailer packing
certificate, issued in 1984.

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Limited Quantity
Summary
Limited Quantity (LQ) refers to smaller quantities of
hazardous materials that can be shipped by sea under
specific regulations. The International Maritime
Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code governs the transport of
these goods, outlining maximum allowable quantities
and packaging requirements to ensure safe handling and transport.

Full Coverage Explanation

Limited Quantity (LQ) dangerous goods by sea are defined as smaller quantities of
hazardous materials that are permitted to be shipped under less stringent
regulations compared to larger quantities. This allowance is governed by the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, which provides guidelines
for the safe transportation of dangerous goods by sea.
Key aspects of LQ shipments include:
- **Allowed Quantities**: The IMDG Code specifies the maximum quantities of
different hazardous substances that can be shipped as Limited Quantities, based on
their hazard class and characteristics.
- **Packaging and Labeling**: LQ goods must be packaged and labeled according
to IMDG Code requirements, using suitable packaging materials designed to safely
contain the hazardous materials during transport. Labels and markings must clearly
indicate the nature of the goods and associated hazards.
- **Documentation**: While LQ shipments have reduced regulatory requirements,
proper documentation is still necessary. This includes providing shipping papers,
declarations, and emergency response information to inform carriers and
authorities about the goods being transported.
- **Handling and Transport**: LQ shipments must be handled and transported in
compliance with IMDG Code provisions to minimize risks to personnel, vessels, and
the environment. Specific procedures are followed to ensure safe handling and
storage of LQ dangerous goods.

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