Face wipes

There are plenty of brands in market with face wipes (wet wipes); some for oily skin some for moisturizing etc. In this article we will look at two of these products and their transport classification as per IMDG Code.

Both are cleansing wet wipes but one of this needs to be transported as dangerous goods if consigned as cargo by sea.

To understand the difference we will look at the ingredients of each of these products

	1. Clearasil Daily Care Deep Cleansing Wipes	2. Clearasil Ultra Deep Pore Face Wipes
Ingredients	Water, Propylne Glycol. Polysorbate 20, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Pyrus Malus, Dichlorobenzyl Alcohol, Cetypyridinuim Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid.	Hydrogen Peroxide, Ethanol, Salicylic Acid, and other inert ingredients.

Product 1 Clearasil Daily Care Deep Cleansing Wipes–

All the ingredients combined with the percentage does not have any properties of danger according to IMDG Code classification. This product does not have properties of explosives, flammable liquids or solids, oxidizing substances, toxicity, radioactivity or corrosive effect hence product one when offered as cargo by sea goes as non-hazardous.

Product 2 Clearasil Ultra Deep Pore Face Wipes–

The main ingredient is Ethanol which is a flammable liquid. The wipe has absorbed the liquid ethanol without any free flowing liquid visible. The product is solid and is readily flammable due to the presence of ethanol. Due to the flammability of the absorbed liquid this is classified under SOLIDS CONTAINING FLAMMABLE LIQUID, N.O.S. UN 3175, Packing Group II.

If we have above two products as cargo by Sea product 1 will go as non –hazardous and product 2 will go as hazardous with dangerous goods declaration, marking, labelling, placarding and other related provisions applicable.

Above details of ingredients and classification are taken from the manufacturer’s website which may be modified by the manufacturer. The writer does not promote any product for their usage or suggest advantage of one product over other but has only given an example that certain products which we use in daily life may be considered as dangerous goods as per transport regulations. To check applicability, limitations and or exemptions for each mode of transport responsible person shall refer the respective regulations.

Dangerous Goods Classes, Divisions, Marine Pollutants, Packing Groups and Wastes (shashikallada.wordpress.com)

IMSBC Code

The International Maritime Organization‘s convention of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974, as amended, deals with various safety aspects for sea going vessels including carriage of cargo.

SOLAS chapter VI part A & B pertains to mandatory provisions governing the carriage of solid bulk cargoes and Chapter VII part B the mandatory provisions of carriage of dangerous goods in solid form in bulk. The provisions of these chapters are amplified in Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC Code). SOLAS Part A of chapter VII deals with packaged dangerous cargo which is amplified in International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code).

IMSBC Code became mandatory from 1^st January 2011.

Table of Contents in IMSBC Code

Foreword
Section 1 General provisions and definitions
Section 2 General loading, carriage and unloading precautions
Section 3 Safety of personnel and ship
Section 4 Assessment of acceptability of consignments for safe shipment
Section 5 Trimming procedures
Section 6 Methods of determining angle of repose
Section 7 Cargoes that may liquefy
Section 8 Test procedures for cargoes that may liquefy
Section 9 Materials possessing chemical hazards
Section 10 Carriage of solid bulk wastes
Section 11 Security provisions
Section 12 Stowage factor conversion tables
Section 13 References
Appendix 1 Individual schedules of solid bulk cargoes
Appendix 2 Laboratory test procedures, associated apparatus and standards
Appendix 3 Properties of solid bulk cargoes
Appendix 4 Index of solid bulk cargoes

Considering safety solid bulk cargoes are divided into Group A, B & C

Group A
consists of cargoes which may liquefy if shipped at moisture content in excess of their transportable moisture limit.

Group B
consists of cargoes which possess a chemical hazard which could give rise to a dangerous situation on a ship.

Group C
consists of cargoes which are neither liable to liquefy (Group A) nor to possess chemical hazards (Group B).

Hazard classification

Dangerous goods are classified in accordance with chapter 2 of the IMDG Code.

Class 4.1: Flammable solids: The materials in this class are readily combustible solids and solids which may cause fire through friction.

Class 4.2: Substances liable to spontaneous combustion: The materials in this class are materials, other than pyrophoric materials, which, in contact with air without energy supply, are liable to self-heating.

Class 4.3: Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases: The materials in this class are solids which, by interaction with water, are liable to become spontaneously flammable or to give off flammable gases in dangerous quantities.

Class 5.1: Oxidizing substances: The materials in this class are materials while in themselves not necessarily combustible, may, generally by yielding oxygen cause, or contribute to, the combustion of other material.

Class 6.1: Toxic substances: The materials in this class are materials liable either to cause death or serious injury or to harm human health if swallowed or inhaled, or by skin contact.

Class 7: Radioactive materials: The materials in this class are any materials containing radionuclides where both the activity concentration and the total activity in the consignment exceed the values specified in 2.7.7.2.1 to 2.7.7.2.6 of the IMDG Code.

Class 8: Corrosive substances: The materials in this class are materials which, by chemical action, will cause severe damage when in contact with living tissue or will materially damage, or even destroy, other goods or the means of transport.

Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles: The materials in this class are materials and articles which, during transport, present a danger not covered by other classes.

Some definitions:

Solid bulk cargo
means any cargo, other than liquid or gas, consisting of a combination of particles, granules or any larger pieces of material generally uniform in composition, which is loaded directly into the cargo spaces of a ship without any intermediate form of containment.

Dangerous goods in solid form in bulk means any material, other than liquid or gas, consisting of a combination of particles, granules or any larger pieces of material, generally uniform in composition, which is covered by the IMDG Code and is loaded directly into the cargo spaces of a ship without any intermediate form of containment, and includes such materials loaded in a barge on a barge-carrying ship.

Transportable Moisture Limit (TML) of a cargo which may liquefy means the maximum moisture content of the cargo which is considered safe for carriage in ships other than specially constructed or fitted cargo ships (see 7.3.2 of IMBSC Code for full details).

Let’s have a look at the provisions of carriage of dangerous goods in solid form in bulk.

IMDG Code deals with dangerous goods in packaged form. Packaged form means dangerous goods packed in packages specified in IMDG Code, eg; UN 1942 AMMONIUM NITRATE packed in Woven plastics water-resistant bags. If we load UN 1942 AMMONIUM NITRATE directly in to the holds of a cargo ship without packing in bags then the provisions of IMBSC Code has to be applied.

Cargoes are identified and listed in IMSBC Code with Bulk Cargo Shipping Name (BCSN). All names are listed in appendix 4 of IMSBC Code in an alphabetical order together with their group name and references if any.

In order to understand the provisions of carriage of dangerous goods in bulk let us look at FERROSILICON. In appendix 4 (Index of solid bulk cargoes) Ferrosilicon is listed as below

In Appendix 1 (Individual schedules of solid bulk cargoes) Ferrosilicon is listed and twice first entry reads FERROSILICON UN 1408 which is same as above listed in the index.

The entry in appendix 1 gives full details of Ferrosilicon UN 1408 as below

FERROSILICON UN 1408 with 30% or more but less than 90% silicon (including briquettes)

DESCRIPTION

Ferrosilicon is an extremely heavy cargo.

CHARACTERISTICS

ANGLE OF REPOSE	BULK DENSITY (kg/m3)		STOWAGE FACTOR (m3/t)
Not applicable	1389 to 2083 (1111 to 1538 for briquettes)		0.48 to 0.72 (0.65 to 0.90 for briquettes)
SIZE	CLASS		GROUP
Up to 300 mm Briquettes	4.3	6.1	B

HAZARD

In contact with moisture or water it may evolve hydrogen, a flammable gas which may form explosive mixtures with air and may, under similar circumstances, produce phosphine and arsine, which are highly toxic gases. This cargo is non-combustible or has a low fire-risk.

STOWAGE & SEGREGATION

“Separated from” foodstuffs and all class 8 liquids.

HOLD CLEANLINESS

Clean and dry as relevant to the hazards of the cargo.

WEATHER PRECAUTIONS

This cargo shall be kept as dry as practicable before loading, during loading and during voyage. This cargo shall not be loaded during precipitation. During loading of this cargo all non-working hatches of the cargo spaces to which this cargo are loaded or to be loaded shall be closed.

LOADING

Trim in accordance with the relevant provisions required under sections 4 and 5 of the Code. As the density of the cargo is extremely high, the tanktop may be overstressed unless the cargo is evenly spread across the tanktop to equalize the weight distribution. Due consideration shall be paid to ensure that tanktop is not overstressed during voyage and during loading by a pile of the cargo. Refer to the appendix to this schedule.

PRECAUTIONS

The manufacturer or the shipper shall provide the master with a certificate stating that, after manufacture, the cargo was stored under cover, but exposed to dry weather for not less than three days prior to shipment.

VENTILATION

Continuous mechanical ventilation shall be conducted during the voyage for the cargo spaces carrying this cargo. If maintaining ventilation endangers the ship or the cargo, it may be interrupted unless there is a risk of explosion or other danger due to interruption of the ventilation. In any case mechanical ventilation shall be maintained for a reasonable period prior to discharge. Refer to the appendix to this schedule.

CARRIAGE

For quantitative measurements of hydrogen, phosphine and arsine, suitable detectors for each gas or combination of gases shall be on board while this cargo is carried. The detectors shall be of certified safe type for use in explosive atmosphere. The concentrations of these gases in the cargo spaces carrying this cargo shall be measured regularly, during voyage, and the results of the measurements shall be recorded and kept on board.

DISCHARGE

Refer to the appendix to this schedule.

CLEAN-UP

After discharge of this cargo, the cargo spaces shall be swept clean twice. Water shall not be used for cleaning of the cargo space which has contained this cargo, because of danger of gas.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

SPECIAL EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT TO BE CARRIED

Self-contained breathing apparatus.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Wear self-contained breathing apparatus.

EMERGENCY ACTION IN THE EVENT OF FIRE

Batten down and use CO2 if available. Do not use water.

MEDICAL FIRST AID

Refer to the Medical First Aid Guide (MFAG), as amended.

The entry further contains APPENDIX: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CARRIAGE OF FERROSILICON and detailed requirements, operational requirements, gas releases from ferrosilicon impurities when water is added.

Under Precautions, see above, manufacturer or shipper is required to provide a certificate which is similar to IMDG Code requirement of ‘weathering certificate”.

Similar to Dangerous Goods transport document required by IMDG Code IMSBC Code require a declaration from shipper, see below image. This declaration must be furnished well in advance of loading to enable the precautions which may be necessary for proper stowage and safe carriage of the cargo to be put into effect.

Apart from Dangerous Goods listed in IMDG Code there are some goods which possess dangerous properties when carried in bulk. These goods are called Materials hazardous only in bulk (MHB).

One example of MHB is WOOD PELLETS. This is a group B cargo (cargoes which possess a chemical hazard), in appendix 1 class for this entry reads “MHB” with stowage and segregation requirement as for class 4.1 materials ( flammable solids)

Please refer to IMSBC Code for full details.

Weathering Certificate

For some dangerous goods together with Dangerous Goods Declaration IMDG Code require additional document(s). One of which is a “Weathering Certificate”

Let’s look at what is a weathering certificate and when this is required.

Weathering is required for goods to reduce the moisture content, if any.

Example UN 1408 FERROSILICON with 30% or more but less than 90% silicon, Class 4.3.

Ferrosilicon when moist will generate hydrogen which is highly flammable.

The entry in DG list UN 1403 is assigned with special provision 932 which states “Requires a certificate from the maker or shipper, stating that the shipment was stored under cover, but in the open air, in the size in which it was packaged, for not less than 3 days prior to shipment.“

For IRON OXIDE, SPENT – UN 1376 Class 4.2: IMDG Code recommends through observation column in DG List that weathering of at least 8 weeks before shipment is needed if not packed in metal drums.

So which substance require a weathering certificate?

A substance require a weathering certificate when same is asked for in the individual entry in Dangerous Goods List.

UK CAA issues lithium battery warning |

Alcoholic Beverages

Cheers! Saúde! Ganbei!

Beer, wine and spirits are alcoholic beverages. What differences are there between these three? Let’s not look into the difference in taste or effect after consuming but look at the difference in transport regulations, which means now we are not going to sit over a drink 😉

Some facts:

Beer: – Third most common drink after water and tea. For some it may be first 😉

Wine: – France, Italy and Portugal are the highest consumers and France Italy and Spain are the highest producers.

During transport of wine, beer or spirits the danger involved is not one getting drunk but the flammability factor. Since beer and wine is having very less content of alcohol (4% to 6% & 9% – 16% respectively) they are not considered as flammable liquids. Spirits (Whiskey, Rum, Vodka etc.)

contain more than 20% of alcohol by volume. Volume of alcohol will be on the label (alcohol by volume).

According to IMDG Code, alcoholic beverages containing less than 24% alcohol is not considered as dangerous and which containing more than 24% but less than 70% is not considered as dangerous provided packed in packages containing 250 l or less. See entries UN 3065 and related sections for more information.

Flashpoint of Ethanol based water solutions :

Flaming_cocktails — "Flaming" cocktails contain a small amount of flammable high-proof alcohol which is ignited (and subsequently extinguished) prior to consumption.

10% — 49 °C
20% — 36 °C
30% — 29 °C
40% — 26 °C
50% — 24 °C
60% — 22 °C
70% — 21 °C
80% — 20 °C
90% — 17 °C
96% — 17 °C

Recent study in effects of alcohol found that fusel oil in whisky reduces the hangover !!!

High consequence Dangerous Goods & Security

In 1998 bombing of US Embassy in Nairobi terrorist used TNT , oxygen tanks, gas cylinders and four bags of ammonium nitrate fertilizer resulting in 100s of death and massive destruction. Marriot bombing in Islamabad terrorist used approximately 600 KG of RDX mixed with TNT killing 54 and 266 injured!!!

Ammonium nitrate is widely used by terrorists due it is easy availability and deadly potential when turned into an explosive.

For security in transport of dangerous goods IMDG Code recommend Consignors and others involved in transport chain to adopt, carry out and comply with a security plan.

Model Regulations defines high consequence dangerous goods as those which have the potential for misuse in a terrorist incident and may produce serious consequences such as mass casualties or mass destruction.

There is a mandatory requirement for Shore-side personnel engaged in transport of dangerous goods by sea to undergo a security training addressing security risks, methods to address to reduce risks and action to be taken in the event of a security breach.

Security training and measures should include various levels addressing the organizational measures, measures for its employees within their capacity , measures to drivers hauling dangerous goods by road to identify the risks and actions to be taken.

In IMDG Code below are listed as an indicative list of high consequence dangerous goods

Class	Substance / Articles
1	Division 1.1 explosives
1	Division 1.2 explosives
1	Division 1.3 compatibility group C explosives
1	Division 1.4 UN Nos. 0104, 0237, 0255, 0267, 0289, 0361, 0365, 0366, 0440, 0441, 0455, 0456 and 0500
1	Division 1.5 explosives
2.1	Flammable gases in quantities greater than 3000 ℓ in a road tank vehicle, a railway tank wagon or a portable tank
2.3	Toxic gases
3	Flammable liquids of packing groups I and II in quantities greater than 3000 ℓ in a road tank vehicle, a railway tank wagon or a portable tank
3	Desensitized liquid explosives
4.1	Desensitized solid explosives
4.2	Goods of packing group I in quantities greater than 3000 kg or 3000 ℓ in a road tank vehicle, a railway tank wagon, a portable tank or a bulk container
4.3	Goods of packing group I in quantities greater than 3000 kg or 3000 ℓ in a road tank vehicle, a railway tank wagon, a portable tank or a bulk container
5.1	Oxidizing liquids of packing group I in quantities greater than 3000 ℓ in a road tank vehicle, a railway tank wagon or a portable tank
5.1	Perchlorates, ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate fertilizers and ammonium nitrate emulsions or suspensions or gels in quantities greater than 3000 kg or 3000 ℓ in a road tank vehicle, a railway tank wagon, a portable tank or a bulk container
6.1	Toxic substances of packing group I
6.2	Infectious substances of category A (UN Nos. 2814 and 2900)
7	Radioactive material in quantities greater than 3000 A1 (special form) or 3000 A2, as applicable, in Type B(U) or Type B(M) or Type C packages
8	Corrosive substances of packing group I in quantities greater than 3000 kg or 3000 ℓ in a road tank vehicle, a railway tank wagon, a portable tank or a bulk container

Various elements are recommended by IMDG Code to be included in the security plan.

Refer section 1.4 of IMDG Code for full details.
For full details of security of radioactive materials see Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities
For ships and ports the security provisions are covered by ISPS.

Govt declares ammonium nitrate as explosive (thehindu.com)
Ammonium Nitrate Sales Witnessing Steep Decline in Developed Countries According to Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd (prweb.com)
Regulations on ammonia nitrate focus of Knoxville meeting (knoxnews.com)

Expandable polymeric beads

Expandable polymeric beads or Expandable Polystyrene beads are moulding materials which come in the form of beads. The composition is polystyrene and a blowing agent which is hydrocarbon . (blowing agent is n-pentane, i-pentane and c-pentane).

Expandable polymeric beads containing blowing agent will expand when exposed to heat. These expandable polymeric beads are used for many applications like insulation, thermal packing, trays, toys, coffee cups food containers etc.

Hazards of Expandable Polymeric Beads

Fire! Fire is the hazard associated with this. Since this product contains hydrocarbon blowing agent (typically pentane) handling and storing of this product must take into consideration of any possible source of ignition. While stored Expandable polymeric beads will keep releasing a small amount of hydrocarbon vapors and the rate of release will increase when exposed to heat. Pentane vapors are heavier than air hence storage area must have good ventilation to remove any vapor trapped in low areas. Recommended storage is below 20 deg C in a well-ventilated area.

Shipping

Generally Expandable Polymeric Beads are transported in fibreboard boxes or flexible IBCs. IMDG Code list this under UN 2211 , POLYMERIC BEADS, EXPANDABLE , Class 9 with instruction for segregation as for Class 3 ( Flammable Liquids )*. IMDG Code 36^th Amendment which will be published in 2012 may contain the requirement of hermetically sealed packaging and IBCs which meet certain performance standards when transported in Closed Cargo Transport unit as proposed by European Chemical Industry Council to IMO.

Some shipping lines may require additional warning label apart from Placards. This label should be placed on the door and may read “ WARNING : MAY CONTAIN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE, KEEP IGNITION SOURCES AWAY” or may even ask to ship it as one-door-off. However one-door-off operation will require additional approval for the said container as per CSC ( International Convention for Safe Containers) as one-door-off on normal containers will change allowable stacking load and transverse racking test force.

* Category E. Shaded from radiant heat and protected from sparks and open flame. When stowed under-deck, mechanical ventilation shall be in accordance with SOLAS regulation II-2/19 (II-2/54) for flammable liquids with flashpoint below 23°C c.c. Segregation as for class 3 but “Separated from” class 1 except division 1.4S.

DG Reefer – Commercial Reasons

Certain Dangerous Goods require mandatory transport in reefer containers due to safety reasons. These are some of the Self-reactive Substances under Class 4.1 and some of the Organic Peroxides, Class 5.2. This requirement is listed in column 16 of DG List in chapter 3.2 and respective sub sections in chapter 2.4 & 2.5 of IMDG Code (35-10).

Let us look at the provisions of other dangerous goods which do not require refrigerated containers but are offered sometimes as temperature controlled.

So what goods which do not require a reefer is sometimes transported in reefer? Generally these are Perfumes ( UN 1266), Safety Matches ( UN 1944), Paint (UN 1263), Lithium Batteries (UN 3090,3091,3480,3481). Some shippers transport these in live reefers to maintain the product quality. Of course Calcium Hypochlorite require live reefers by most of the shipping lines due to its bad past.

IMDG Code has certain provisions for Dangerous Goods in reefers for commercial reasons, these are specifically related to Flammable Gases ( Class 2.1) and Flammable liquids ( Class 3). When Flammable liquids having flashpoint less than 23 °C c.c is transported in live reefer then

1/ Substance shall be precooled and

2/ Transported at a temperature at east 10 Deg C below its flashpoint

Or explosion proof reefer is required.

At any moment during transport In case the reefer fails then power supply shall be disconnected and must not be switched on again.

No line will accept flammable gas in live or non-live reefers. ( For full details refer 7.7 of IMDG Code)

UPS pilots ‘could not steer plane’

Jen Thomas

Dec 8, 2011

DUBAI // The pilots of the UPS cargo plane that crashed in Dubai last year may have been unable to steer because a fire in the cargo area caused the control cables to slacken, an interim report says.

Smoke that filled the cockpit could also have prevented the two US pilots, both of whom died in the September 3 accident, from seeing the instruments.

An interim investigation report released by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) last month also noted problems with the oxygen flow to the pilots’ masks may have been related to rising temperatures from the fire.

The GCAA report, the first since a preliminary report was released in April, offered new details about what went wrong aboard the Boeing 747, which crashed in the Nad Al Sheba military camp less than an hour after taking off from Dubai International Airport.

The pilots reported a fire 22 minutes into the flight and turned back towards Dubai, but overflew the airport. It crashed on the way to an emergency landing at Sharjah International Airport.

“The investigation has centred on a probably uncontained fire on the main cargo deck as the primary significant factor,” the interim report reads.

“The investigation is focusing on several possible ignition sources, primarily the location in the cargo of lithium and lithium-derivative batteries that were on board.”

The interim report used data from flight recorders, air-traffic control transcripts and a cockpit voice recorder. About 25 minutes into the flight, Capt Doug Lampe could be heard on the cockpit recorder saying he was not able to manually control the plane. The control cables ran above the probable location of the fire, the report said.

Although Capt Lampe’s controls were limited, First Officer Matthew Bell had almost no control of the plane, but the autopilot was working normally because it used a different control system. Both men struggled to breathe.

The report also notes at least two shipments of lithium-ion batteries, which should have been declared hazardous materials, were in containers “beneath the area of interest, due to systems indications on the flight recorders”.

The company sending those particular shipments was not identified in the report.

“While the shipper indicated that testing of the batteries was completed in accordance with [United Nations] standards, no UN test report was provided to verify that such tests were completed,” the report said.

Since 2006, 34 aviation incidents related to batteries and battery-powered devices have been reported to the US Federal Aviation Administration, and 22 of those involved lithium-ion batteries. Of 34 incidents, 22 involved fire.

The investigation continues “with further testing and detailed analysis currently ongoing”. Main testing should be completed this year, and a final report is due next year.

jthomas@thenational.ae

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/ups-pilots-could-not-steer-plane

Dangerous Goods Declaration

Documentation

We all know that every consignment of dangerous goods, barring a few, needs a Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD). This can be submitted as a printed or electronic copy.

If no declaration (DGD) is submitted carrier will reject the consignment or refuse to load.

Also some of us have experienced even after submitting document container failed to load or carrier returned the document due to missing or wrong information.

Internationally when port state authorities conducted random inspection on deficiencies in Dangerous Goods consignments a major percentage was wrong documentation. Missing or wrong DGD may lead to accidents, death, loss of property of damage to environment.

When we encounter any difficulty in preparing a DGD or when DGD is rejected or questioned for missing or ambiguous information we do think How to prepare a correct completed Dangerous Goods Declaration?

Then answer is simple “Be familiar and thorough in Chapter 5.4 of IMDG Code“

Since this Chapter 5.4 is linking to other sections of IMDG code and have some exceptions let’s not go into full details but learn the basic steps of preparing a DGD.

Page Numbers

If the DGD has more than one page then same must be numbered consecutively. Example page numbers for a 3 page DGD: 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3.

The idea is if a one or more pages of a multipage DGD is missing above way of numbering will exactly inform the referrer which page is missing.

Shipper & Consignee

DGD must include the name and address of the shipper and consignee.

Date

Must have a date and this can be either the date of preparing the DGD or date on which DGD is given to the initial carrier.

Dangerous Goods part

Every item of dangerous goods under the respective shipment shall be mentioned here and the IMDG Code require this information to be in a particular sequence which is as below

UN Number , preceded by letters UN
Proper Shipping Name , and technical name in brackets if any
Class
Subsidiary hazardous class
Packing Group

This information shall always be in this sequence and never shall be re arranged when preparing the document. Below are some examples of correctly sequenced dangerous information on DGD

UN1098 ALLYL ALCOHOL 6.1 (3) I (21oC c.c.)

UN1098, ALLYL ALCOHOL, class 6.1, (class 3), PG I, (21oC c.c.)

UN 1092, Acrolein, stabilized, class 6.1 (3), PG I, (-24oC c.c.) MARINE POLLUTANT

UN 2761, Organochlorine pesticide, solid, toxic, (Aldrin 19%), class 6.1, PG III,

MARINE POLLUTANT

Quantity of Dangerous Goods

We must declare the total number and type of packages and the quantity of dangerous goods. For Explosives the quantity is the net explosive weight, for other dangerous goods its volume or mass. Here I am not writing about shipments of radioactive substances which may require activity level also on documentation.

Number and type of packages such as drums or jerricans can be written as say, 10 drums or ten drums.

One shipment which does not require total quantity of dangerous goods to be written on DGD is empty uncleaned shipment.

Limited Quantities

If the shipment offered is limited quantities then same must be mentioned on the DGD

Excepted Quantities

If the shipment offered is excepted quantities then same must be mentioned on the DGD.

Temperature controlled

Self-reactive substances and organic peroxide which require temperature control need to be mentioned with Control and Emergency Temperature this is applicable also to other substances if they are stabilized by means of temperature control.

There are much more information required on DGD which is depending on the dangerous goods being offered for carriage by sea. Also some substances may require additional documentation such as a weathering certificate or exemption certificate.

Also other than tanks DG shipments need a packing Certificate also.

Now let’s see what are the legally binding parts of documentation (DGD).

Signature

Shipper and packer must sign the document, in an electronic form this can be replaced by NAME in capital letters.

Declaration or Certification

To certify that the shipment meets the applicable regulations below text shall be in the DGD

“I hereby declare that the contents of this consignment are fully and accurately described above by the Proper Shipping Name, and are classified, packaged, marked and labelled/placarded, and are in all respects in proper condition for transport according to applicable international and national government regulations.”

Format of DGD can be found here including continuation page and container packing certificate points. The format of the form can be anyhow but the information required by Chapter 5.4 of IMDG Code must be there clear and legible.

Retention of DGD

Both Shipper and Carrier shall retain a copy of DGD and any other additional document as required by IMDG Code for a minimum period of 3 months.

Above is the basic of preparing DGD for full details refer to chapter 5.4 and respective entry of UNNO in chapter 3.2 of IMDG Code (35-10)

Additional Documents

For some dangerous goods together with Dangerous Goods Declaration IMDG Code require additional document(s). They are

(1) Weathering Certificate

(2) a certificate exempting a substance, material or article from the provisions of the IMDG Code

(3) a statement by the competent authority of the country of origin of the approved classification and conditions of transport for a new self-reactive substances and organic peroxides or new formulation of currently assigned self-reactive substances and organic peroxides

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Documentation