Q. What is a dangerous goods manifest?
Ans. A manifest is like tabulated, non diagrammatic cargo plan. An IMO Dangerous Goods Manifest contains some extra information in comparison to the normal manifest, owing to the presence of dangerous goods. Thus, in addition to the information regarding the ship, voyage, etc, the cargo related information including the port of loading / discharging is included. The document is required by:
1. SOLAS 74, chapter VII, regulations 4.2;
2. MARPOL 73/78, Annex III, regulation 4.2; and
3. chapter 5.4, paragraph 5.4.3.1 of the IMDG Code.
Following is standardized IMO FAL form 7 is such form.
Q. What does a multi modal DG form contain?
Ans. A dangerous goods transport document may be in any form, provided it contains all of the information required by the provisions of IMDG Code. The information on a dangerous goods transport document shall be easy to identify, legible and durable. The form shown below is an example of a dangerous goods transport document. The name and address of the consignor and the consignee of the dangerous goods shall be included on the dangerous goods transport document. It shall contain various information for each dangerous substance such as the UN number; the proper shipping name; the primary hazard class; the compatibility group letter; subsidiary hazard class; the packing group; etc. When dangerous goods are packed or loaded into any container or vehicle, the details of “container/vehicle packing certificate” specifying the container/ vehicle identification number, etc. are included in the document. The dangerous goods transport document shall include a certification or declaration that the consignment is acceptable for transport and that the goods are properly packaged, marked and abeled, and in proper condition for transport in accordance with the applicable regulations. The text for this certification is: “I hereby declare that the contents of this consignment are fully and accurately described above/below* by the proper shipping name, and are classified, packaged, marked and abeled/placarded, and are in all respects in proper condition for transport according to applicable international and national government regulations.” The certification shall be signed and dated by the consignor. The form as stated in 5.4.5 of IMDG code is shown below:
Following is a typical format of IMO DG declaration:
Q. What are the various documents required as per IMDG Code?
Ans. Document of Compliance
Document of compliance certifies that the construction and equipment on ship complies with the provision regulation II/2 /19 of Solas, 74 as amended and that the ship is suitable for the carriage of those classes of dangerous goods as specified in the schedules to the certificate.
The provisions of IMDG Code do not preclude the use of electronic data processing (EDP) and electronic data interchange (EDI) transmission techniques as an alternative to paper documentation.
Dangerous Goods Transport
A dangerous goods transport document may be in any form, provided it contains all of the information required by the provisions of this Code. A dangerous goods transport document may consist of more than one page, provided pages are consecutively numbered. Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form is an example of DG transport document. It shall contain various information for each dangerous substance such the UN number; the proper shipping name; the primary hazard class; the compatibility group letter; subsidiary hazard class; the packing group; etc along with the shipper’s declaration and other details.
Container/vehicle packing certificate
When dangerous goods are packed or loaded into any container or vehicle, those responsible for packing the container or vehicle shall provide a “container/vehicle packing certificate” specifying the container/ vehicle identification number(s) and certifying that the operation has been duly carried out.
Dangerous Goods Manifest or Detailed Stowage Plan
Each ship carrying dangerous goods and marine pollutants shall have a special list, manifest or stowage plan setting out, in accordance with regulation VII/ 4.2 of SOLAS, as amended, and with regulation 4.2 of Annex III of MARPOL, the dangerous goods and marine pollutants and the location thereof. This special list or manifest shall be based on the documentation and certification required in this Code. It shall also contain the stowage location and the total quantity of dangerous goods and marine pollutants. A detailed stowage plan, which identifies by class and sets out the location of all dangerous goods and marine pollutants, may be used in place of such special list or manifest. A copy of one of these documents shall be made available before departure to the person or organization designated by the port State authority.
Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods
For consignments of dangerous goods, appropriate information shall be immediately available at all times for use in emergency response to accidents and incidents involving dangerous goods in transport. Methods of compliance include:
1 appropriate entries in the special list, manifest or dangerous goods declaration; or
2 provision of a separate document such as a safety data sheet; or
3 provision of separate documentation, such as the Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods.
Special Certificate
In certain circumstances, special certificates or other documents are required such as:
1 a weathering certificate; as required in the individual entries of the Dangerous Goods List;
2 a certificate exempting a substance, material or article from the provisions of the IMDG Code (such as, see individual entries for charcoal, fishmeal, seedcake);
3 for new self-reactive substances and organic peroxides or new formulation of currently assigned self-reactive substances and organic peroxides, (with a statement by the competent authority of the country of origin).
4. If the consignments include goods of class 1, other than division 1.4, the container is structurally serviceable. Statement stating, ‘no incompatible goods have been packed into the container/vehicle unless specially authorized by the competent authority’.
5. When materials are transported in bulk packagings, the cargo has been evenly distributed in the container/vehicle.
6. Statement to state, ‘the packages and the container/vehicle have been properly marked, labelled and placarded. Any irrelevant mark, labels and placards have been removed’.
Q. Why is the DOC not required for carrying class 6.2 & class 7 cargoes?
Ans. As per para 4 of regulation 19 of Solas chapter II/2, the certification for dangerous goods, except solid dangerous goods in bulk, is not required for those cargoes specified as class 6.2 and 7 and dangerous goods in limited quantities and excepted quantities.
Q. Describe the format of document of compliance.
Ans. Document of compliance certifies that the construction and equipment on ship complies with the provision regulation II/2 /19 of Solas, 74 as amended and that the ship is suitable for the carriage of those classes of dangerous goods as specified in the schedules to the certificate. Schedule 1 of DOC contains a plan of ship’s stowage spaces and a table showing the classes of dangerous goods suitable for stowage in each category of space, as shown below. Schedule 2 lists the special requirements as required by fire related regulations in respect of carriage of dangerous goods.
Q. What are the provisions about marking, labeling and placarding?
Ans. Following are the provisions about marking, labeling and placarding:
- Packages containing dangerous goods shall be duly marked with the correct technical name, though the trade name also may be there.
- The distinctive labels or stencils of the labels, or placards should be appropriate, so as to make clear the dangerous properties of the goods contained therein.
- The information shall be identifiable on packages surviving at least three months’ immersion in the sea. The durability of the materials used and of the surface of the package should be appropriate.
- Following exemption are permitted:
1. Packages containing dangerous goods of a low degree of hazard or packed in limited quantities or
2. Special circumstances permitting, packages that are stowed and handled in units that are identified by labels or placards.
Q. What is the provision about marine pollutants?
Ans. Chapter 2.10 of IMDG Code deals with this subject.
- Marine pollutants shall be transported under the provisions of Annex III of MARPOL, as amended.
- The Index indicates by the symbol P in the column headed MP those substances, materials and articles that are identified as marine pollutants.
- Marine pollutants shall be transported under the appropriate entry according to their properties if they fall within the criteria of any of the classes 1 to 8. If they do not fall within the criteria of any of these classes, they shall be transported under the entry: ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, SOLID, N.O.S., UN 3077 or ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, N.O.S., UN 3082, as appropriate, unless there is a specific entry in class 9.
- Column 4 of the Dangerous Goods List also provides information on marine pollutants using the symbol P for single entries. The absence of the symbol P or the presence of a “–” in that column does not preclude the application of 2.10.3.
- When a substance, material or article possesses properties that meet the criteria of a marine pollutant but is not identified in this Code, such substance, material or article shall be transported as a marine pollutant in accordance with the Code.
- With the approval of the competent authority (see 7.9.2), substances, materials or articles that are identified as marine pollutants in this Code but which no longer meet the criteria as a marine pollutant need not be transported in accordance with the provisions of this Code applicable to marine pollutants.
Q. What is the provision about limited quantity?
Ans. Chapter 3.4 is dangerous goods packed in limited quantities. The applicable quantity limit for the inner packaging or article is specified for each substance in column 7a of the Dangerous Goods List. In addition, the quantity “0” has been indicated in this column for each entry not permitted to be transported in accordance with this chapter. Limited quantities of dangerous goods packed in such limited quantities, meeting the provisions of chapter on limited quantity, are not subject to all the provisions of this Code. Dangerous goods shall be packed only in inner packagings placed in suitable outer packagings. Intermediate packagings may be used. The total gross mass of the package shall not exceed 30 kg.
Different dangerous substances in limited quantities may be packed in the same outer packaging, provided the segregation provisions of chapter 7.2, including the segregation provisions in column 16b of the Dangerous Goods List, and certain relevant provisions are taken into account. The segregation provisions of chapter 7.2 to 7.7 including the segregation provisions in column 16b of the Dangerous Goods List are not applicable however, for packagings when limited quantities are carried.. However, articles of division 1.4, shall not be stowed in same compartment with compatibility groups A and L. Except for air transport, packages containing dangerous goods in limited quantities shall bear the mark shown below:
The mark shall be readily visible, legible and able to withstand open weather exposure without a substantial reduction in effectiveness. The mark shall be in the form of a square set at an angle of 45° (diamond-shaped). The top and bottom portions and the surrounding line shall be black. The centre area shall be white or a suitable contrasting background. The minimum dimensions shall be 100 mm × 100 mm and the minimum width of the line forming the diamond shall be 2 mm. The minimum outer dimensions shown above may be reduced to be not less than 50 mm × 50 mm provided the mark remains clearly visible. The minimum width of the line forming the diamond may be reduced to a minimum of 1 mm. Cargo transport units containing dangerous goods packed in limited quantities with no other dangerous goods shall not be placarded nor marked according to part 5. However, they shall be suitably marked on the exterior with the above mark.
Cargo transport units containing dangerous goods and dangerous goods packed in limited quantities shall be placarded and marked according to the provisions applicable to the dangerous goods which are not packed in limited quantities. The marking shall be readily visible, legible and be such that this information will still be identifiable on cargo transport units surviving at least three months’ immersion in the sea. In considering suitable marking methods, account shall be taken of ease with which the surface of the cargo transport unit can be marked. The top and bottom portions and the surrounding line shall be black. The centre area shall be white or a suitable contrasting background. The minimum dimensions shall be of 250 mm × 250 mm.
In addition to the provisions for documentation specified in chapter 5.4, the words “limited quantity” or “LTD QTY” shall be included on the dangerous goods declaration together with the description of the shipment.
Q. What is the provision about excepted quantity?
Ans.
A. Excepted quantities of dangerous goods of certain classes, other than articles, meeting the provisions of chapter 3.5, are not subject to any other provisions of this Code. The provisions about training, classification procedures and packing group criteria, packaging provisions and documentation however shall be met. Thus, if the inner / outer packaging quantities as shown in the E code table are carried as ‘excepted quantity’, the shipper enjoys certain exemption. Dangerous goods which may be carried as excepted quantities in accordance with the provisions of this chapter are shown in column 7b of the Dangerous Goods List by means of an alphanumeric code as follows:
B. Excepted quantities of dangerous goods assigned to codes E1, E2, E4 and E5 are not subject to the provisions of this Code provided that:
1 the maximum net quantity of material per inner packaging is limited to 1 mL for liquids and gases and 1 g for solids;
2 the maximum net quantity of dangerous goods per outer packaging does not exceed 100 g for solids or 100 mL for liquids and gases; and
3. provisions regarding packagings and test of packages are complied with.
Marking of packages: Packages containing excepted quantities of dangerous goods prepared in accordance with this chapter shall be durably and legibly marked with the mark shown below. The primary hazard class of each of the dangerous goods contained in the package shall be shown in the mark. Where the name of the consignor or consignee is not shown elsewhere on the package, this information shall be included within the mark.
* The class or, when assigned, the division number(s) shall be shown in this location.
** The name of the consignor or of the consignee shall be shown in this location if not shown elsewhere on the package.
The mark shall be in the form of a square. The hatching and symbol shall be of the same colour, black or red, on white or suitable contrasting background. The minimum dimensions shall be 100 mm × 100 mm. Where dimensions are not specified, all features shall be in approximate proportion to those shown.
Maximum number of packages in any cargo transport unit: The number of packages containing dangerous goods packed in excepted quantities in any cargo transport unit shall not exceed 1000. Documentation: In addition to the provisions for documentation specified in chapter 5.4, the words “dangerous goods in excepted quantities” and the number of packages shall be included on the dangerous goods declaration together with the description of the shipment. The segregation provisions of chapters 7.2 to 7.7, including the segregation provisions in column 16b of the Dangerous Goods List, are not applicable for different dangerous goods in excepted quantities in the same outer packaging provided that they do not react dangerously with each other.
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