CINS: Charcoal shall only be shipped in packaged form

Charcoal is described in the IMDG Code as “black material originating from organic sources. Particularly includes carbon blacks, of animal or vegetable origin other non-activated carbon materials and charcoal produced from materials such as bone, & bamboo, coconut shell, jute and wood.”

The Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) in conjunction with the International Group of P&I Clubs and the TT Club has recently released comprehensive Guidelines for carriage of charcoal in containers, including recommendations about packing, among others. According to the guidance, charcoal shall only be shipped in packaged form. Packaging should be in good condition and must not be torn. The IMDG Code defines what packaging can be used for Charcoal classified as UN 1361.

Packing instruction ‘P002’ is assigned to these entries and permits a maximum quantity of Charcoal per bag not exceeding 50 kg. This is applicable to both packing group entries.However, it is recommended that the maximum quantity should not exceed 30 kg which would reflect the mass of individual bags that may be manually handled.

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For the packing group III entry large packagings are also permitted, however these guidelines do not recommend the shipment of Charcoal in these packaging types.

A ‘Weathering Report’ should be compiled in relation to the cargo and packaging, to include the following information – and made available for the vanning survey:
1. Date of production;
2. Date of packaging;
3. Type of packaging used; and
4. Mean temperature of the material on the day of packaging expressed in °C.

Packing into a container may only begin once the weathering period has been completed. After production, the unpackaged loose material must undergo weathering (stored under cover but exposed to the open air) for at least 14 days before being packaged for transport. This weathering period begins immediately after the pyrolysis process is completed.

The cargo should be properly packed and secured. However, packing should take account of the weight
of the bags so as not to cause those at the bottom to be crushed or to split. The use of a thermal camera to check the temperature of every packaging at the point of packing into the CTU is strongly recommended.

Charcoal is a lightweight, black residue, consisting mainly of Carbon and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances, produced by slow pyrolysis, which is the heating of wood or other organic substances in the absence of oxygen. Charcoal is considered to be a self-heating substance, beingone which, in contact with air, is liable to self-heating. A self-heating reaction may result in extensive heat development and, when the heat is not sufficiently dissipated, may cause fire if the self-ignition temperature is reached. As a result, since this commodity is liable to spontaneous combustion, it is classified 4.2 (substances liable to spontaneous combustion) in the IMDG Code and other modal dangerous goods regulations. There is significant risk that spontaneous combustion may cause a fire in a container during transport.