3rd in this awareness series is Packaging & IBC.

1. Responsibilities
2. Classification
3. Use of Packaging & IBCs
4. Marking & Labelling of Packages & IBCs
5. Use of Tanks & Bulk Containers
6. Packing of Cargo Transport Units – Segregation and Temperature control
7. Marking & Placarding of Cargo Transport Units
8. Dangerous Goods Declaration & Additional Documents
9. Shipboard operations – Stowage, Segregation and Emergency Response
10. Competent Authority Approvals and Exemptions
11. Training of Shoreside personnel
12. Training of Shipboard Officers and Crew

Packaged form means the form of containment specified in the IMDG Code.

SOLAS Chapter VII Part A Regulation 1.3

Who is responsible for packing of dangerous goods?

Shipper is responsible for correct packaging.

Shipper’s declaration reads “I hereby declare that the contents of this consignment are fully and accurately described above/below 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.” (IMDG Code 5.4.1.6.1).

IMDG Code is the mandatory regulations for carriage of dangerous goods and marine pollutants in packaged form. However, certain dangerous goods are permitted for transport without package due its size and shape they may not be able to be packed and without package they are safe for transport.

Dangerous goods shall be packed in good quality packagings, including IBCs and large packagings, which shall be strong enough to withstand the shocks and loadings normally encountered during transport, including trans-shipment between cargo transport units and between cargo transport units and warehouses as well as any removal from a pallet or overpack for subsequent manual or mechanical handling.

IMDG Code 4.1.1.1

The material of packagings must not react with the cargo and must not be affected or significantly weakened, must not cause a dangerous effect, such as catalysing a reaction or reacting with the dangerous goods and must not allow permeation of the dangerous goods that could constitute a danger under normal conditions of transport (IMDG Code 4.1.1.2).

Shipper has wide variety of choices of type of packagings and IBCs and quantity as combination packagings having inner inner packagings placed in an outer packaging, single packagings, removable or non-removable head type Drums or Jerricans, Boxes, Bags, Composite Packagings, Pressure receptacles, Cylinders, Bundle of cylinders, Tubes, MEGC, Flexible IBC, Rigid IBC.

There are various kinds of packagings, large packagings and Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs). Dangerous Goods list in chapter 3.2 of IMDG Code columns 8,9,10,11 lists packing, large packing and IBC instructions and any additional provisions.

Rationale behind Dangerous Goods Packing Instructions

The rationale behind the packing instructions assigned to dangerous goods in IMDG Code varies from nature of hazard each goods pose and general hazard as per the common properties of dangerous goods. Packing instructions are addressing the shipper or the person who prepares the package for dangerous goods transport and these instructions consist of (i) general instructions, (ii) specific instructions for particular hazards (iii) and for specialized dangerous goods. (Read more Rationale behind Dangerous Goods Packing Instructions

How to select packaging?

In the above example we can see UN 2208 is assigned with packing instruction P002 and there are bags listed, however packing provision PP85 states “For UN Nos. 1748, 2208, 2880, 3485, 3486 and 3487, bags are not allowed.

Similar steps are to be taken for Large Packagings and IBCS.

Above is just an example for beginners to understand, please be informed that calcium hypochlorite, in above example, is a cargo with potential to undergo thermal runaway explosion. Please refer to Guidelines for the Carriage of Calcium Hypochlorite in Containers for more information

There are special packaging provisions for class 1, 2, 4.1(self-reactive substances), 5.2, 6.2 & 7 in part 4 chapter 4.1 of IMDG Code.

Difference between Inner packing and inner receptacle

The “inners” of “combination packagings” are always termed “inner packagings”, not “inner receptacles”. A glass bottle is an example of such an “inner packaging”. The “inners” of “composite packagings” are normally termed “inner receptacles”. For example, the “inner” of a 6HA1 composite packaging (plastics material) is such an “inner receptacle” since it is normally not designed to perform a containment function without its “outer packaging” and is not, therefore, an “inner packaging” (IMDG Code 1.2.1.1).

Read Difference between package and packaging

Packagings and IBCS which require competent authority approvals

Dangerous goods assigned to Packing instruction P099 and IBC instruction IBC099 must only be transported in packagings and IBCs specifically approved by competent authority and this must be indicated in dangerous goods declaration and copy of approval must accompany the shipment.

There are certain substances which practice has shown that they may leak from packagings that ordinarily are leakproof to other chemicals. See ACRYLONITRILE, STABILIZED, AMYL MERCAPTAN, METHACRYLONITRILE, STABILIZED in IMDG Code.

Construction and testing of packagings and IBCS

The provisions for packagings part 6 of IMDG Code are based on packagings currently used. In order to take into account progress in science and technology, there is no objection to the use of packagings having specifications different from those in part 6, provided that they are equally effective, acceptable to the competent authority and able successfully to withstand the tests described (IMDG Code 6.1.1.2.1).

Every package must be certified and must bear the UN Marking according to part 6 of IMDG Code.

The UN Marking code consists of:

1.  an Arabic numeral indicating the kind of packaging, such as drum, jerrican, etc., followed by
2.  one or more capital letters in Latin characters indicating the nature of the material, such as steel, wood, etc., followed where necessary by
3.  an Arabic numeral indicating the category of packaging within the type to which the packaging belongs.

The following numerals used for the kinds of packaging:

• 1 Drum
• 2 [Reserved]
• 3 Jerricans
• 4 Box
• 5 Bag
• 6 Composite packaging

The following capital letters used for the types of material:

• A Steel (all types and surface treatments)
• B Aluminium
• C Natural wood
• D Plywood
• F Reconstituted wood
• G Fibreboard
• H Plastics material
• L Textile
• M Paper, multiwall
• N Metal (other than steel or aluminium)
• P Glass, porcelain or stoneware

Example 1 = drum, A = steel = steel drum Third character 1 or 2 means non-removable head type and removable head type.

All packagings, large packagings and IBCs must be certified type and must display the required UN Marking. Packages used for limited and excepted quantities need not be certified type, however they must meet the general provisions for packagings of part 4 of IMDG Code.

Pallets and unit loads are authorized as a containment for certain dangerous goods. The packing instruction assigned to the individual item will indicate when authorized.

Refer Part 6 of the Code for full details.

Important role of packing group

For packing purposes, substances other than those of classes 1, 2, 5.2, 6.2 and 7, and other than self-reactive substances of class 4.1, are assigned to three packing groups in accordance with the degree of danger they present:
Packing group I: substances presenting high danger;
Packing group II: substances presenting medium danger; and
Packing group III: substances presenting low danger.
The packing group to which a substance is assigned is indicated in the Dangerous Goods List in chapter 3.2. (IMDG Code 2.0.1.3) Read What is packing group and how it is assigned to dangerous goods?

During package testing drop height will change according to packing group, for substances to be transported having a relative density not exceeding 1.2 drop height is

• PG I = 1.8 m
• PG II = 1.2 m
• PG III = 0.8 m

If substances to be transported IS having a relative density exceeding 1.2, the drop height must be calculated on the basis of the relative density (d) of the substance to be carried, rounded up to the first decimal, as follows

• PG I = d × 1.5 m
• PG II = d × 1.0 m
• PG III = d × 0.67 m