IMSBC Amendments

During April 2022, the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) adopted Res. MSC.  500(105). This resolution contains the IMO’s 06-21 amendments to the IMSBC Code, as incorporated into the IMSBC Code 2022 Edition.

 

Mandatory compliance with the amended IMSBC Code requirements will begin on 1 December 2023.

 

The principal ‘changes for the good’ to the updated IMSBC Code are as follows:

 

New definitions relating to the phenomenon of “dynamic separation,” including deliberations regarding the definition of “group A” cargoes

 

• The definition of Group A ‘cargoes which may liquefy’ has been extended to include ‘dynamic separation’ which is defined below, together with advice on the potentially deadly outcome.

• “Dynamic separation means the phenomenon of forming a liquid slurry (water and fine solids) above the solid material, resulting in a free surface effect which may significantly affect the ship’s stability.”
• “Cargoes [including bauxite and coal]which may undergo dynamic separation means cargoes which contain a certain proportion of fine particles and a certain amount of moisture and may undergo dynamic separation if shipped at a moisture content in excess of their transportable moisture limit.”

 

New Appendix 1 cargo entries and deleted solid bulk cargoes in the IMSBC Appendix 1 “Individual schedule of solid bulk cargoes.”

 

New cargo entries have been added to the IMSBC Appendix 1, “Individual schedule of solid bulk cargoes” and some solid bulk cargoes have been deleted from the list.

 

• Newly added solid bulk cargoes include ammonium nitrate-based fertilizer, clam shell and leach residue containing lead, among others. On the other hand, ammonium nitrate-based fertilizer (non-hazardous) and triple, granular superphosphate have been deleted from the list “.
• Newly added solid bulk cargo list

Bulk Cargo Shipping Name	Group	Hazard	Status
AMMONIUM NITRATE BASED FERTILIZER	C	–	New
AMMONIUM NITRATE BASED FERTILIZER MHB	B	MHB	New
CLAM SHELL	C	–	New
LEACH RESIDUE CONTAINING LEAD	A and B	MHB	New
SUPERPHOSPHATE (triple, granular)	B	MHB	New

 

• Deleted cargoes from solid bulk cargo list

Bulk Cargo Shipping Name	Group	Hazard	Status
AMMONIUM NITRATE BASED FERTILIZER (non-hazardous)	C	–	Deleted
SUPERPHOSPHATE (triple, granular)	C	–	Deleted

 

Exemption certificates

 

• The Maritime Safety Committee at sessions 105^th and 107^th approved the revision of the MSC.1/Circ.1395– Lists of solid bulk cargoes for which a fixed gas fire extinguishing system may be exempted or for which a fixed gas fire extinguishing system is ineffective, has been revised.

New cargoes have been added in MSC.1/Circ.1395/Rev.5 and Rev. 6 of June 2023.

 

Shipowners and operators may contact PMDS surveyors to review the addition or removal of cargoes from a vessel’s approved cargoes list. Compliance with the updated IMSBC Code will be mandatory beginning December 1, 2023. Deleted cargoes may be eliminated during a periodical survey after December 1, 2023.