UK MCA issues Merchant Shipping Notice
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) posted a Merchant Shipping Notice providing guidance on the transportation of dangerous goods and marine pollutants in packaged form by sea on ships within United Kingdom waters and on United Kingdom ships wherever they may be.
All persons involved in the transport and preparation for transport of dangerous goods under the provisions of the IMDG Code must comply with the changes brought about by the amendment.
Transitional Arrangements
Amendment 37-14 to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code has been approved and adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and enters into force internationally on 1 January 2015, with a twelve month “transitional period” until 31 December 2015.
From 1 January 2015 until 31 December 2015 dangerous goods and marine pollutants in packaged form shall be shipped either:
- in accordance with the mandatory IMDG Code 2012 Edition incorporating Amendment 36-12; or
- in accordance with the IMDG Code 2014 Edition incorporating Amendment 37-14.
Arrangements from 1 January 2016
From 1 January 2016 dangerous goods and marine pollutants in packaged form shall be shipped only in accordance with the IMDG Code 2014 Edition incorporating Amendment 37- 14.
The final form of the 2014 Edition comprises two volumes. This edition of the Code incorporates changes made in UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods Model Regulations 18th revised edition.
The IMDG Code 2014 Edition incorporating Amendment 37 ((ISBN 978-92-801-1597-0 (IMO sales number IJ200E)) is available from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR.
The Secretary of State considers the IMDG Code 2014 Edition incorporating Amendment 37-14 to be relevant for the purpose of the Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants) Regulations 1997 and the Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2004 as amended. Therefore, the Amendment shall take effect on 1 January 2016. Accordingly, references to the IMDG Code in those regulations on or after that date are construed as references to the Code as so amended.
Supplement
The supplement to the IMDG Code (ISBN 978-92-801-1598-7, Sales number II210E), gives the consequential amendments to the 2012 edition of the IMDG Code Supplement and will come into force on the same basis as amendment 37-14 of the IMDG Code.
The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants) Regulations 1997 and the Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2004 are amended to incorporate the 37 th Amendment to the IMDG Code in accordance with the internationally agreed date of 1 January 2016. |
Source: UK MCA