Dangerous Goods & Chemical Cargo
Dangerous goods beyond basic IMDG: Dangerous Goods Manifest and notification to authorities, CTU Code, IBC Code and chemical tankers, lithium batteries and thermal runaway, EmS Guide/MFAG, IGC Code and liquefied gases, crew IMDG training, IMSBC Code and solid bulk cargo liquefaction, MARPOL Annex III, carriage of radioactive materials (Class 7/INF Code), dangerous goods on general cargo ships.
Each topic below brings together, in a single place: an operational explanation, the regulatory reference, scope of application, procedure, practical example, what typically goes wrong, common mistakes, what the Port State Control Officer (PSCO) checks, operational tips, a checklist and FAQ — with the regulatory reference verified against the primary source.
Dangerous Goods Manifest and Notification to Port Authorities
SOLAS VII/4.2 governs dangerous-goods documentation and the copy available before departure; pre-arrival notification, timing, channels and reporting party instead depend on the individual port regime.
CTU Code: Packing and Stowage of Cargo Transport Units
The packer checks and documents internal packing; terminal, carrier and ship perform external acceptance inspection of a sealed CTU without claiming to have checked its interior.
IBC Code and Operations on Chemical Tankers
Product acceptance follows the Certificate of Fitness, Code and ship-specific limits; the Administration-approved P&A Manual governs Annex II procedures and Category X prewash occurs after unloading, before departure.
Lithium Batteries: Thermal Runaway and Fire Response on Board
Lithium-battery fire response follows the UN entry, EmS schedule and ship-specific procedures; SP376 separates the critical P911/LP906 branch from other damaged/defective P908/LP904, without improvised onboard diagnosis.
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.
Liquefied Gases and Operational Notes on the IGC Code
Boil-off management uses systems approved for ship and cargo; venting is not a routine substitute for reliquefaction. MSC.523(106) has been in force since 1 January 2026, while the MSC 111 IGC package awaits formal adoption.
IMDG Training and Crew Education
IMDG Chapter 1.3 governs shore-based personnel; crew competence follows STCW, ISM/SMS, flag requirements, duties and any applicable specialised training.
Dangerous Solid Bulk Cargoes: the IMSBC Code, Liquefaction and Self-Heating
The IMSBC Code covers Groups A, A and B, B and C, excluding grain; the shipper supplies information and test certificates, while the onboard can test is only a complementary indication.
MARPOL Annex III: Harmful Substances Carried in Packaged Form
Package and CTU marking follows specific IMDG provisions, including the 5 L/5 kg package exception; spill reporting follows MARPOL Article 8/Protocol I and is coordinated with SMS and safety reporting.
Carriage of Radioactive Materials: IMDG Class 7 and the INF Code
Class 7 package type, label category, Transport Index and Criticality Safety Index are distinct dimensions; TI appears on Category II-YELLOW and III-YELLOW, not Category I-WHITE.
Dangerous Goods in Holds on Non-Containerised General Cargo Ships
Segregation on a conventional cargo ship follows exact UN entries, hazards, DGL codes, segregation groups and Table 7.2.4; neither a generic class nor a CTU shell alone determines the required level.
Editorial revision of 9 August 2026 · page fingerprint eb97d8ac6433