IMDG Dangerous Goods Awareness cheat sheet

The IMDG Code is published by IMO and gives effect to SOLAS chapter VII for packaged dangerous goods carried by sea; it is mandatory for all SOLAS contracting governments.

The Code is arranged in seven parts: General provisions, definitions and training (Part 1); Classification (Part 2); Dangerous Goods List, special provisions and exceptions (Part 3); Packing and tank provisions (Part 4); Consignment procedures (Part 5); Construction and equipment of carrying units (Part 6); and provisions for transport operations (Part 7).

The Code is amended every two years through the IMO Maritime Safety Committee; amendments normally enter into force on 1 January of even-numbered years, with a transition period during which the previous edition may still be used.

The IMDG Code is supplemented by the Supplement, which contains the EMS Guide (Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods), the MFAG (Medical First Aid Guide) and the reporting procedures for incidents involving dangerous goods.

Dangerous goods are prohibited for carriage by sea unless they are classified, packed, marked, labelled, documented and stowed in accordance with the Code.

The Code applies to all ships to which SOLAS chapter VII applies, irrespective of the flag of the ship; it does not apply to bulk carriage in bulk carriers or tankers, which is governed by the IBC and IGC Codes.

The Code is not a substitute for national regulations: individual administrations may impose additional or more stringent requirements, and the shipper must check the requirements of the countries of origin, transit and destination.

There are nine classes: 1 Explosives, 2 Gases, 3 Flammable liquids, 4 Flammable solids (including spontaneously combustible and water-reactive substances), 5 Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides, 6 Toxic and infectious substances, 7 Radioactive material, 8 Corrosives, and 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles.

Class 1 is divided into six divisions (1.1 to 1.6) and compatibility groups (A to S); a substance is assigned a division and compatibility group, e.g. 1.4S.

Class 2 is divided into three divisions: 2.1 Flammable gases, 2.2 Non-flammable, non-toxic gases, and 2.3 Toxic gases; a gas may also carry a subsidiary risk.

Class 3 is divided into three packing groups (I, II, III) according to flash point and initial boiling point; PG I covers substances with an initial boiling point of 35 °C or less.

Class 4 is divided into 4.1 Flammable solids, self-reactive substances and solid desensitized explosives; 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion; and 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases.

Class 5 is divided into 5.1 Oxidizing substances and 5.2 Organic peroxides; organic peroxides are further classified into types A to G, with type A being the most hazardous.

Class 6 is divided into 6.1 Toxic substances and 6.2 Infectious substances; class 7 covers radioactive material, and class 8 covers substances that cause full-thickness destruction of intact skin or corrode steel or aluminium.

Class 9 covers substances and articles not covered by other classes, including environmentally hazardous substances, lithium batteries, magnetized material and dry ice.

The Dangerous Goods List (DGL) in Part 3 lists dangerous goods by UN number and proper shipping name and gives the class, subsidiary risk(s), packing group, special provisions, limited and excepted quantity limits, packing instructions, portable tank instructions, stowage and segregation provisions, and the relevant EmS and MFAG references.

The DGL is arranged in the order of the UN numbers; entries are either single entries for a specific substance or generic/n.o.s. entries that cover a group of substances with similar characteristics.

The proper shipping name is the name shown in column 2 of the DGL and must be used in the transport document; the trade name alone is not sufficient.

Special provisions are numbered 1 to 400+ and are listed in chapter 3.3; they give additional requirements or exemptions for specific substances, e.g. SP 274 for n.o.s. entries, SP 188 for lithium batteries, SP 960 for articles.

Column 6 of the DGL gives the packing group; column 7 gives the special provisions; column 8 gives the limited quantity and excepted quantity limits; column 9 gives the packing instruction and, if applicable, the IBC and portable tank instructions.

Column 16 of the DGL gives the stowage and segregation provisions, including the stowage category (A to E) and the segregation groups (1 to 18, plus acids and alkalis).

The DGL also gives the EmS schedule number and the MFAG table number, which must be used in an emergency; these are shown in the last columns of the entry.

Packing instructions are given in Part 4 and are identified by a number, e.g. P001, IBC02, LP01, or a portable tank instruction such as T1 to T23; the packing instruction specifies the UN packaging codes and the maximum quantities permitted.

The UN packaging code consists of a digit for the packaging type (1 drum, 2 bar/wooden, 3 jerrican, 4 box, 5 bag, 6 composite), a letter for the material (A steel, B aluminium, C natural wood, D plywood, F reconstituted wood, G fibreboard, H plastic, L textile, M paper, N other metal, P glass/ceramic), and a digit for the packaging category (1 non-removable head, 2 removable head).

Packagings must be marked with the UN symbol, the packaging code, the packing group letter (X for PG I, Y for PG II, Z for PG III), the maximum gross mass or specific gravity, the year of manufacture, the country of manufacture and the manufacturer's code.

Every package must bear the UN number and the proper shipping name, preceded by the letters 'UN', or the UN number alone if the package is too small; the marking must be durable and legible.

Every package must bear the hazard label(s) for the primary and subsidiary risk(s); the label must be a square set at 45° with a minimum side of 100 mm, and must be on a contrasting background.

Marine pollutants must also bear the marine pollutant mark (a fish and tree symbol) and the words 'MARINE POLLUTANT' or 'ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE'.

Packages containing limited quantities must bear the limited quantity mark, which is a diamond with a black 'Y' on a white background; packages containing excepted quantities must bear the excepted quantity mark.

Overpacks must be marked and labelled as if they were the packages they contain, and the word 'OVERPACK' must be displayed.

The shipper must provide a dangerous goods transport document (the 'DG declaration') containing the UN number, proper shipping name, class, subsidiary risk(s), packing group, number and kind of packages, total quantity, and the shipper's and consignee's names and addresses.

The transport document must also include the 24-hour emergency telephone number, the marine pollutant declaration if applicable, and the flash point for class 3 substances with a flash point of 61 °C or below.

The shipper must sign a declaration certifying that the consignment is fully and accurately described, classified, packed, marked, labelled and in all respects in proper condition for transport according to the applicable international and national regulations.

The container/vehicle packing certificate must be provided by the party responsible for packing the container, confirming that the cargo was packed and secured in accordance with the Code and that the container is suitable for the carriage.

The transport document must be carried on board the ship and be readily accessible; it may be in paper or electronic form, but the master must be able to produce it on demand.

The dangerous goods manifest or stowage plan must be available on board before loading and must show the location of each dangerous goods consignment on the ship.

For class 7 radioactive material, the transport document must also include the category of the package, the transport index and the surface radiation level, as required by the IAEA regulations.

Stowage categories A to E are assigned in column 16 of the DGL: A on deck or under deck; B on deck or under deck, but not in a cargo transport unit; C on deck only; D on deck only, and not in a cargo transport unit; E on deck only, and not in a cargo transport unit, with additional requirements.

Segregation is determined by the segregation table in chapter 7.2 and by the segregation provisions in column 16 of the DGL; the segregation groups (acids, alkalis, etc.) are used to determine whether goods of different classes must be separated.

The four segregation terms are 'away from', 'separated from', 'separated by a complete compartment or hold from', and 'separated longitudinally by an intervening complete compartment or hold from'; these correspond to increasing horizontal separation distances.

'Away from' means effectively segregated so that incompatible goods cannot interact dangerously; 'separated from' means in different compartments or holds, or in the same compartment but at least 3 m apart horizontally.

Goods of class 1 must be segregated from other dangerous goods in accordance with the compatibility group table in chapter 7.2; some compatibility groups are incompatible and must not be stowed together.

Containers carrying dangerous goods must be stowed in accordance with the stowage plan and secured in accordance with the Cargo Securing Manual; containers must not be overstowed by other cargo in a way that prevents access.

Goods that may react dangerously with each other must not be stowed in the same compartment or hold unless the segregation requirements are met; this includes acids and alkalis, and oxidizing substances and flammable materials.

When dangerous goods are carried on deck, they must be stowed in a position that is accessible for emergency response and must be protected from the sun and from sea water where required by the DGL.

The EmS Guide (Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods) gives the emergency schedule number for each substance in the DGL; the schedule is shown in column 15 of the DGL.

The MFAG (Medical First Aid Guide) gives the first aid treatment for exposure to each substance; the MFAG table number is shown in column 15 of the DGL.

The Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods (EmS) schedules are divided into fire schedules (F) and spillage schedules (S); the appropriate schedule is given in the DGL.

Incidents involving dangerous goods must be reported to the nearest coastal state in accordance with the reporting procedures in the Supplement; the report must include the ship's name, position, the nature of the incident and the dangerous goods involved.

The IMDG Code requires the ship to carry a copy of the EmS Guide and the MFAG, or to have access to them, for the duration of the voyage.

The master must report any incident involving the loss or likely loss of dangerous goods overboard, or any incident that may cause a significant risk to the marine environment, to the nearest coastal state.

The ship's emergency response plan must include procedures for dealing with fires, spillages and leaks involving dangerous goods, and the crew must be trained in those procedures.

After an incident, the ship must report to the flag state and the port state, and the report must be used to update the ship's safety management system.

The IMDG Code requires that all persons involved in the carriage of dangerous goods be trained in the requirements of the Code commensurate with their responsibilities, and that the training be recorded and retained by the employer.

Training must cover the general provisions of the Code, the classification and hazards of the goods, the packing, marking and labelling requirements, the documentation requirements, and the emergency response procedures.

The shipper is responsible for the correct classification, packing, marking, labelling and documentation of the dangerous goods; the carrier is responsible for the safe stowage, segregation and carriage of the goods.

The master is responsible for the safe carriage of the dangerous goods on board, including compliance with the stowage and segregation requirements and the emergency response procedures.

The designated person ashore (DPA) must monitor the safety and pollution prevention aspects of the ship's operations, including the carriage of dangerous goods, and must ensure that adequate resources and shore-based support are provided.

A safety culture requires that all personnel be aware of the hazards of the dangerous goods they handle, that they be encouraged to report near misses and incidents, and that lessons learned be fed back into the safety management system.

The IMDG Code requires that the training be documented and that the record be made available to the flag state and port state on request; training must be repeated at intervals not exceeding five years.

The company must ensure that the ship is adequately manned and that the crew is trained in the use of the emergency equipment, including fire-fighting and spill-response equipment.

Limited quantities (LQ) are small quantities of dangerous goods that may be carried under relaxed requirements; the maximum quantity per inner packaging and per package is given in column 8 of the DGL.

Packages containing limited quantities must be marked with the limited quantity mark (a diamond with a black 'Y' on a white background) and must be labelled with the hazard label(s) of the goods.

Excepted quantities (EQ) are very small quantities of dangerous goods that may be carried under even more relaxed requirements; the maximum quantity per inner and outer packaging is given in column 8 of the DGL.

Packages containing excepted quantities must bear the excepted quantity mark and must be marked with the UN number and the proper shipping name of the goods.

The excepted quantity mark is a diamond with the words 'EXCEPTED QUANTITY' and the UN number of the goods; the mark must be at least 100 mm × 100 mm.

Goods carried as limited quantities or excepted quantities are exempt from some of the requirements of the Code, but not from the requirements for classification, packing, marking and documentation that are specified for those quantities.

The transport document for limited quantities must include the words 'LIMITED QUANTITY' or the letters 'LQ' in association with the number of packages and the total quantity.

The transport document for excepted quantities must include the words 'EXCEPTED QUANTITY' or the letters 'EQ' in association with the number of packages and the total quantity.

The IMDG Code is published by IMO and gives effect to SOLAS chapter VII for packaged dangerous goods carried by sea; it is mandatory for all SOLAS contracting governments.

The Code is arranged in seven parts: General provisions, definitions and training (Part 1); Classification (Part 2); Dangerous Goods List, special provisions and exceptions (Part 3); Packing and tank provisions (Part 4); Consignment procedures (Part 5); Construction and equipment of carrying units (Part 6); and provisions for transport operations (Part 7).

The Code is amended every two years through the IMO Maritime Safety Committee; amendments normally enter into force on 1 January of even-numbered years, with a transition period during which the previous edition may still be used.

The IMDG Code is supplemented by the Supplement, which contains the EMS Guide (Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods), the MFAG (Medical First Aid Guide) and the reporting procedures for incidents involving dangerous goods.

Dangerous goods are prohibited for carriage by sea unless they are classified, packed, marked, labelled, documented and stowed in accordance with the Code.

The Code applies to all ships to which SOLAS chapter VII applies, irrespective of the flag of the ship; it does not apply to bulk carriage in bulk carriers or tankers, which is governed by the IBC and IGC Codes.

The Code is not a substitute for national regulations: individual administrations may impose additional or more stringent requirements, and the shipper must check the requirements of the countries of origin, transit and destination.

There are nine classes: 1 Explosives, 2 Gases, 3 Flammable liquids, 4 Flammable solids (including spontaneously combustible and water-reactive substances), 5 Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides, 6 Toxic and infectious substances, 7 Radioactive material, 8 Corrosives, and 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles.

Class 1 is divided into six divisions (1.1 to 1.6) and compatibility groups (A to S); a substance is assigned a division and compatibility group, e.g. 1.4S.

Class 2 is divided into three divisions: 2.1 Flammable gases, 2.2 Non-flammable, non-toxic gases, and 2.3 Toxic gases; a gas may also carry a subsidiary risk.

Class 3 is divided into three packing groups (I, II, III) according to flash point and initial boiling point; PG I covers substances with an initial boiling point of 35 °C or less.

Class 4 is divided into 4.1 Flammable solids, self-reactive substances and solid desensitized explosives; 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion; and 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases.

Class 5 is divided into 5.1 Oxidizing substances and 5.2 Organic peroxides; organic peroxides are further classified into types A to G, with type A being the most hazardous.

Class 6 is divided into 6.1 Toxic substances and 6.2 Infectious substances; class 7 covers radioactive material, and class 8 covers substances that cause full-thickness destruction of intact skin or corrode steel or aluminium.

Class 9 covers substances and articles not covered by other classes, including environmentally hazardous substances, lithium batteries, magnetized material and dry ice.

The Dangerous Goods List (DGL) in Part 3 lists dangerous goods by UN number and proper shipping name and gives the class, subsidiary risk(s), packing group, special provisions, limited and excepted quantity limits, packing instructions, portable tank instructions, stowage and segregation provisions, and the relevant EmS and MFAG references.

The DGL is arranged in the order of the UN numbers; entries are either single entries for a specific substance or generic/n.o.s. entries that cover a group of substances with similar characteristics.

The proper shipping name is the name shown in column 2 of the DGL and must be used in the transport document; the trade name alone is not sufficient.

Special provisions are numbered 1 to 400+ and are listed in chapter 3.3; they give additional requirements or exemptions for specific substances, e.g. SP 274 for n.o.s. entries, SP 188 for lithium batteries, SP 960 for articles.

Column 6 of the DGL gives the packing group; column 7 gives the special provisions; column 8 gives the limited quantity and excepted quantity limits; column 9 gives the packing instruction and, if applicable, the IBC and portable tank instructions.

Column 16 of the DGL gives the stowage and segregation provisions, including the stowage category (A to E) and the segregation groups (1 to 18, plus acids and alkalis).

The DGL also gives the EmS schedule number and the MFAG table number, which must be used in an emergency; these are shown in the last columns of the entry.

Packing instructions are given in Part 4 and are identified by a number, e.g. P001, IBC02, LP01, or a portable tank instruction such as T1 to T23; the packing instruction specifies the UN packaging codes and the maximum quantities permitted.

The UN packaging code consists of a digit for the packaging type (1 drum, 2 bar/wooden, 3 jerrican, 4 box, 5 bag, 6 composite), a letter for the material (A steel, B aluminium, C natural wood, D plywood, F reconstituted wood, G fibreboard, H plastic, L textile, M paper, N other metal, P glass/ceramic), and a digit for the packaging category (1 non-removable head, 2 removable head).

Packagings must be marked with the UN symbol, the packaging code, the packing group letter (X for PG I, Y for PG II, Z for PG III), the maximum gross mass or specific gravity, the year of manufacture, the country of manufacture and the manufacturer's code.

Every package must bear the UN number and the proper shipping name, preceded by the letters 'UN', or the UN number alone if the package is too small; the marking must be durable and legible.

Every package must bear the hazard label(s) for the primary and subsidiary risk(s); the label must be a square set at 45° with a minimum side of 100 mm, and must be on a contrasting background.

Marine pollutants must also bear the marine pollutant mark (a fish and tree symbol) and the words 'MARINE POLLUTANT' or 'ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE'.

Packages containing limited quantities must bear the limited quantity mark, which is a diamond with a black 'Y' on a white background; packages containing excepted quantities must bear the excepted quantity mark.

Overpacks must be marked and labelled as if they were the packages they contain, and the word 'OVERPACK' must be displayed.

The shipper must provide a dangerous goods transport document (the 'DG declaration') containing the UN number, proper shipping name, class, subsidiary risk(s), packing group, number and kind of packages, total quantity, and the shipper's and consignee's names and addresses.

The transport document must also include the 24-hour emergency telephone number, the marine pollutant declaration if applicable, and the flash point for class 3 substances with a flash point of 61 °C or below.

The shipper must sign a declaration certifying that the consignment is fully and accurately described, classified, packed, marked, labelled and in all respects in proper condition for transport according to the applicable international and national regulations.

The container/vehicle packing certificate must be provided by the party responsible for packing the container, confirming that the cargo was packed and secured in accordance with the Code and that the container is suitable for the carriage.

The transport document must be carried on board the ship and be readily accessible; it may be in paper or electronic form, but the master must be able to produce it on demand.

The dangerous goods manifest or stowage plan must be available on board before loading and must show the location of each dangerous goods consignment on the ship.

For class 7 radioactive material, the transport document must also include the category of the package, the transport index and the surface radiation level, as required by the IAEA regulations.

Stowage categories A to E are assigned in column 16 of the DGL: A on deck or under deck; B on deck or under deck, but not in a cargo transport unit; C on deck only; D on deck only, and not in a cargo transport unit; E on deck only, and not in a cargo transport unit, with additional requirements.

Segregation is determined by the segregation table in chapter 7.2 and by the segregation provisions in column 16 of the DGL; the segregation groups (acids, alkalis, etc.) are used to determine whether goods of different classes must be separated.

The four segregation terms are 'away from', 'separated from', 'separated by a complete compartment or hold from', and 'separated longitudinally by an intervening complete compartment or hold from'; these correspond to increasing horizontal separation distances.

'Away from' means effectively segregated so that incompatible goods cannot interact dangerously; 'separated from' means in different compartments or holds, or in the same compartment but at least 3 m apart horizontally.

Goods of class 1 must be segregated from other dangerous goods in accordance with the compatibility group table in chapter 7.2; some compatibility groups are incompatible and must not be stowed together.

Containers carrying dangerous goods must be stowed in accordance with the stowage plan and secured in accordance with the Cargo Securing Manual; containers must not be overstowed by other cargo in a way that prevents access.

Goods that may react dangerously with each other must not be stowed in the same compartment or hold unless the segregation requirements are met; this includes acids and alkalis, and oxidizing substances and flammable materials.

When dangerous goods are carried on deck, they must be stowed in a position that is accessible for emergency response and must be protected from the sun and from sea water where required by the DGL.

The EmS Guide (Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods) gives the emergency schedule number for each substance in the DGL; the schedule is shown in column 15 of the DGL.

The MFAG (Medical First Aid Guide) gives the first aid treatment for exposure to each substance; the MFAG table number is shown in column 15 of the DGL.

The Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods (EmS) schedules are divided into fire schedules (F) and spillage schedules (S); the appropriate schedule is given in the DGL.

Incidents involving dangerous goods must be reported to the nearest coastal state in accordance with the reporting procedures in the Supplement; the report must include the ship's name, position, the nature of the incident and the dangerous goods involved.

The IMDG Code requires the ship to carry a copy of the EmS Guide and the MFAG, or to have access to them, for the duration of the voyage.

The master must report any incident involving the loss or likely loss of dangerous goods overboard, or any incident that may cause a significant risk to the marine environment, to the nearest coastal state.

The ship's emergency response plan must include procedures for dealing with fires, spillages and leaks involving dangerous goods, and the crew must be trained in those procedures.

After an incident, the ship must report to the flag state and the port state, and the report must be used to update the ship's safety management system.

The IMDG Code requires that all persons involved in the carriage of dangerous goods be trained in the requirements of the Code commensurate with their responsibilities, and that the training be recorded and retained by the employer.

Training must cover the general provisions of the Code, the classification and hazards of the goods, the packing, marking and labelling requirements, the documentation requirements, and the emergency response procedures.

The shipper is responsible for the correct classification, packing, marking, labelling and documentation of the dangerous goods; the carrier is responsible for the safe stowage, segregation and carriage of the goods.

The master is responsible for the safe carriage of the dangerous goods on board, including compliance with the stowage and segregation requirements and the emergency response procedures.

The designated person ashore (DPA) must monitor the safety and pollution prevention aspects of the ship's operations, including the carriage of dangerous goods, and must ensure that adequate resources and shore-based support are provided.

A safety culture requires that all personnel be aware of the hazards of the dangerous goods they handle, that they be encouraged to report near misses and incidents, and that lessons learned be fed back into the safety management system.

The IMDG Code requires that the training be documented and that the record be made available to the flag state and port state on request; training must be repeated at intervals not exceeding five years.

The company must ensure that the ship is adequately manned and that the crew is trained in the use of the emergency equipment, including fire-fighting and spill-response equipment.

Limited quantities (LQ) are small quantities of dangerous goods that may be carried under relaxed requirements; the maximum quantity per inner packaging and per package is given in column 8 of the DGL.

Packages containing limited quantities must be marked with the limited quantity mark (a diamond with a black 'Y' on a white background) and must be labelled with the hazard label(s) of the goods.

Excepted quantities (EQ) are very small quantities of dangerous goods that may be carried under even more relaxed requirements; the maximum quantity per inner and outer packaging is given in column 8 of the DGL.

Packages containing excepted quantities must bear the excepted quantity mark and must be marked with the UN number and the proper shipping name of the goods.

The excepted quantity mark is a diamond with the words 'EXCEPTED QUANTITY' and the UN number of the goods; the mark must be at least 100 mm × 100 mm.

Goods carried as limited quantities or excepted quantities are exempt from some of the requirements of the Code, but not from the requirements for classification, packing, marking and documentation that are specified for those quantities.

The transport document for limited quantities must include the words 'LIMITED QUANTITY' or the letters 'LQ' in association with the number of packages and the total quantity.

The transport document for excepted quantities must include the words 'EXCEPTED QUANTITY' or the letters 'EQ' in association with the number of packages and the total quantity.