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Class News No.02/2016

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11 January, 2016

Statutory Alert: Amendments (03-15) to the IMSBC

Code
Applicability: All shipowners and operators involved in the carriage of solid bulk
cargoes

Amendments (03-15) to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC)

Code will enter into force on 1 January, 2017, and may be implemented voluntarily
as of 1 January, 2016.
New cargoes
The amendments introduce new individual schedules with specific carriage
requirements for the following Group B cargoes (cargoes which possess a chemical
hazard which could give rise to a dangerous situation on a ship):
amorphous sodium silicate lumps
boric acid
wood pellets containing additives and/or binders
wood pellets not containing any additives and/or binders.
Note: The existing individual schedule for wood pellets is deleted.

Certification against the IMSBC Code for cargoes carried is voluntary. Shipowners
and operators can request this certification from Lloyds Register and include the
new cargoes after the application dates.
Other changes to the IMSBC Code
Other changes to the IMSBC Code include the following:
A new test procedure is to be used for determining the TML (Transportable
Moisture Limit) of iron ore fines, a Group A cargo which is now included in the
Code as it may liquefy if shipped at a moisture content in excess of its TML,

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and which has been associated with the loss of several vessels in the past
years.
Shippers will be responsible for declaring whether a solid bulk cargo is:
HME (harmful to the marine environment), in which case the relevant
discharge restrictions should apply, or
non-HME, based on the criteria contained in new Section 14 Prevention
of pollution by cargo residues from ships.
Please note: this provision is recommendatory.
A fire safety risk assessment is required to be conducted by crew on ships with
conveyor systems for unloading.
For MHB (materials hazardous only in bulk) cargoes, a notational reference
will explain the specific chemical hazard(s) of the cargo and will be listed in the
Class cell of the characteristics table for each individual schedule.
For more details on the amendments and a full list of the new cargoes added to the
IMSBC Code, please see Resolution MSC.393(95)

For further information

Speak to one of our experts at your local Lloyd's Register Group office
Or contact us via:
statutorysupport@lr.org
Guidance on carrying solid bulk cargoes safely
Lloyd's Register, the UK P&I Club, and Intercargo have produced a pocket guide for
ships' officers and agents who arrange cargoes for loading.
This outlines the precautions to be taken before accepting solid bulk cargoes for
shipment; sets out procedures for safe loading and carriage; details the primary
hazards associated with different types of cargo; and underlines the importance of
proper cargo declarations. A quick reference checklist and flowchart summarise the
steps to be followed.
A PDF of both the pocket guide and flowchart can be downloaded here and printed
copies of the pocket guide can be ordered from the LR webstore

http://info.lr.org/l/12702/2016-01-11/2lc1y4

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