EmS Guide and MFAG: Responding to Emergencies Involving Dangerous Goods
The IMDG Code requires appropriate emergency information immediately available; the EmS Guide and MFAG are recognised IMO tools, while specific carriage duties depend on flag, law and SMS.
Operational Explanation
IMDG 5.4.3 requires appropriate emergency response information immediately available. The EmS Guide and MFAG organise that response and are normally adopted by flag/SMS, while Chapter 7.8 remains recommendatory. Mere absence of the latest publication is not automatically a deficiency in every regime.
Regulatory Reference
IMDG 5.4.3: appropriate information immediately available. EmS/MFAG: recognised IMO tools normally expected where adopted by flag/SMS. Directive 92/29/EEC: ships flying a Member State flag or registered under its plenary jurisdiction, subject to categories, annexes and exceptions.
Scope of Application
Ships carrying dangerous goods: emergency information adequate to the actual cargo. A specific EmS/MFAG edition, medical supplies and antidotes follow applicable flag, national/regional law and SMS, not mere entry into an EU port.
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Link every UN entry to appropriate emergency information and make it immediately available.
- Check current EmS/MFAG where adopted by flag/SMS.
- Align manifest, stowage, emergency organisation and medical inventory.
- Apply Directive 92/29/EEC only to ships within scope and under its categories/annexes.
- Train personnel to access applicable information rapidly.
Practical Example
Example: during a spillage of a Class 8 corrosive substance, the watchkeeping officer identifies the UN number from the transport documentation, consults the corresponding EmS Spillage Schedule for containment actions, and at the same time applies the MFAG guidance for treating any skin exposure of the personnel involved.
What Typically Goes Wrong
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| EmS Guide or MFAG on board in an edition not consistent with the IMDG edition applied to the cargo | Absence of emergency procedures for the new entries introduced by the latest amendment | Check and update the EmS Guide and MFAG with every new amendment to the IMDG Code |
| Personnel not trained to quickly identify the applicable EmS schedule during a real emergency | Delay in the appropriate response during the critical first minutes of the emergency | Include practical EmS/MFAG consultation exercises in periodic drills, not just classroom theory |
| Generic firefighting procedures applied without consulting the substance-specific EmS schedule | Actions that may be ineffective or counterproductive for substances with specific behaviour | Always consult the specific EmS schedule before acting, when safety conditions allow |
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Always keep a paper copy or an easily accessible copy of the EmS Guide and MFAG, not only a digital format that may not be consultable in an emergency.
- Train the crew to search by UN number, not just by the substance's trade name: the UN number is the unique reference in the EmS Guide.
- Update the SMS contingency plan procedures with every revision of the EmS Guide, rather than leaving them unchanged from one amendment to the next.
Preparation checklist
- Adequate emergency information immediately available
- Current EmS/MFAG where adopted
- UN entries linked to schedules
- Directive 92/29/EEC applied only within scope
- Medical supplies/antidotes checked against applicable requirements
FAQ
Related Topics
Last substantive revision of this page: 31 August 2026 · page fingerprint 16dc662b46b9