IMDG Code — Carriage of Dangerous Goods in Packaged Form
The new 2024 edition (Amendment 42-24), mandatory from 1 January 2026: what changes for the classification, packaging and stowage of dangerous goods in packaged form.
Operational Explanation
The IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code) governs the classification, packaging, labelling, documentation and stowage of dangerous goods carried in packaged form (not in bulk) by sea, including those in containers.
Update from 1 January 2026: Amendment 42-24 (the 2024 edition of the IMDG Code, adopted by Res. MSC.556(108)) becomes mandatory, after a period of voluntary application that began on 1 January 2025. Among the main new features: new UN numbers for sodium-ion batteries (UN 3551, 3552), for vehicles powered by lithium-ion/lithium-metal/sodium-ion batteries (UN 3556-3558), for fire-suppressant devices (UN 3559), and for tetramethylammonium hydroxide solution (UN 3560), together with an update to the EmS Guide (emergency response procedures).
The next cycle, already adopted: MSC 111 (May 2026) adopted Amendment 43-26, the next edition of the IMDG Code, with early voluntary application from 1 January 2027 and mandatory entry into force from 1 January 2028. The main new features concern a further update to the provisions on the carriage of batteries and clearer criteria for the classification of vehicles, including electric vehicles, continuing the evolution already begun with Amendment 42-24.
Regulatory Reference
SOLAS Chapter VII (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) makes the IMDG Code mandatory; the 2024 edition (Amendment 42-24) is mandatory from 1 January 2026, while the 2022 edition (Amendment 41-22) remains valid in parallel until 31 December 2025 (a transitional period, with consistent application of a single edition per shipment). Amendment 43-26 (adopted at MSC 111, May 2026): voluntary application from 1 January 2027, mandatory from 1 January 2028.
The Code says how goods are carried; the document that authorises the ship to carry them sits in Chapter II-2, and its name causes confusion. Regulation II-2/19.4 provides: “The Administration shall provide the ship with an appropriate document as evidence of compliance of construction and equipment with the requirements of this regulation”. This is the Document of Compliance for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods, and without it the ship cannot load the classes she is not certified for, however impeccable her IMDG paperwork.
It is not the ISM Code DOC, and the shared acronym costs deficiencies in PSC. They are unrelated documents: the ISM DOC descends from Chapter IX, is issued to the Company and concerns the safety management system; the II-2/19.4 document descends from Chapter II-2, is issued to the individual ship and certifies that construction and fire-fighting equipment comply with Regulation 19 for the classes and cargo spaces listed. What the ISM Code issues to the ship is the SMC, not a DOC.
Regulation 19.4 itself bounds the exemption: certification is not required “for those cargoes specified as class 6.2 and 7 and dangerous goods in limited quantities and excepted quantities” — with the reservation, in the text, of solid dangerous goods in bulk. The document evidences compliance with the requirements of Regulation 19.3: water supplies, sources of ignition, detection systems, ventilation, bilge pumping, personnel protection, portable fire extinguishers, insulation of machinery space boundaries, water-spray systems and separation of ro-ro spaces. The standard format is in MSC.1/Circ.1266/Rev.1. For ships constructed before 1 July 2002 the equivalent reference is the old Regulation II-2/54.3.
Scope of Application
Every ship carrying dangerous goods in packaged form, including containers, with responsibilities shared between the shipper (classification and documentation), the terminal (stowage) and the ship (acceptance, compliant stowage, segregation).
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Verify that the transport documentation (Dangerous Goods Declaration) is consistent with the edition of the IMDG Code applied (41-22 or 42-24, according to the 2025 transitional period, or 42-24 mandatorily from 2026).
- Verify the classification, packaging and labelling of the dangerous goods according to the applicable edition.
- Apply the IMDG Code segregation tables to avoid incompatible stowage between different classes of dangerous goods.
- Verify that up-to-date emergency documentation (EmS Guide) consistent with the edition applied is available on board.
- Train the crew on the new classifications introduced by Amendment 42-24, in particular sodium-ion batteries and battery-powered vehicles.
- Monitor the publication of the consolidated text of Amendment 43-26, evaluating early voluntary application from 1 January 2027 ahead of the 2028 mandatory deadline.
Practical Example
Example verification: a container with sodium-ion batteries (new UN 3551/3552 under Amendment 42-24) accepted on board from 2026 with the correct classification and segregation, after specific crew training on the new entry, which was not present in the 2022 edition.
What Typically Goes Wrong
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Inconsistent use of different editions of the IMDG Code for the same shipment during the transitional period | Documentary inconsistency, possible deficiency | Apply a single edition (41-22 or 42-24) consistently for every individual shipment during 2025 |
| Crew training not updated on the new classifications (sodium-ion batteries, battery-powered vehicles) | Incorrect acceptance or stowage of dangerous goods that are not correctly recognized | Update crew training at every new IMDG Code amendment |
| Segregation tables not checked for new UN entries introduced by the latest amendment | Incompatible stowage goes undetected | Always check the segregation tables updated to the edition in force |
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Update crew training at every new IMDG amendment, paying particular attention to new battery technologies.
- During the transitional period, always check which edition was used for every individual Dangerous Goods Declaration received.
- Do not rely solely on the shipper's documentation: always check the applicable segregation tables before authorising stowage.
Preparation checklist
Educational checklist. This summary supports learning and preparation only. It does not replace the vessel’s approved procedures, manuals, statutory documents, company SMS, or applicable official requirements. Completing it demonstrates neither compliance nor readiness for an inspection: it shows that a list has been read, not that the ship is in order. Always verify the current documents carried on board.
- Dangerous Goods Declaration consistent with the IMDG edition applied
- Classification, packaging and labelling verified
- Segregation tables correctly applied
- EmS Guide on board updated to the applicable edition
- Crew trained on the new classifications introduced by the latest amendment
- Consolidated text of Amendment 43-26 monitored ahead of voluntary application in 2027 / mandatory application in 2028
FAQ
Related Topics
Last substantive revision of this page: 13 August 2026 · page fingerprint 9a9c196c901e