flammable liquids – IMDG Code Compliance Centre

Stowage of UN 2211 POLYMERIC BEADS, EXPANDABLE & UN 3314 PLASTICS MOULDING COMPOUND

When UN 2211 and UN 3314 are loading on board vessels IMDG Code stowage instruction states

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).

These UN numbers are assigned with stowage category E, which means ON DECK or UNDER DECK on Cargo ships or passenger ships carrying a number of passengers limited to not more than 25 or to 1 passenger per 3 m of overall length, whichever is the greater number and prohibited on passenger ships in which the limiting number of passengers transported is exceeded

Though both UN 2211 and UN 3314 are assigned to class 9 for segregation purpose one must consider this as class 3 but separated from class 1 except 1.4S

SOLAS Chapter II-2 & IMDG Code

SOLAS Chapter II-2 Regulation 19 is about Carriage of Dangerous Goods. The purpose of this regulation is to provide additional safety measures in order to address the fire safety objectives for ships carrying dangerous goods.

Due to changes in IMDG Code the said chapter of SOLAS also underwent certain changes.

These changes are made by Maritime Safety Committee RESOLUTION MSC.269(85) and came into effect from 1^st Jan 2011.

Applicable to :

New Ships – keel laid on or after 1^st Jan 2011
Existing ships must comply to the changes during the first renewal survey after 1^st Jan 2011
Cargo ships of 500 GRT or more and passenger ships constructed on or after 1^st Sept 1984
Cargo ships of less than 500 GRT constructed on or after 1^st Feb 1992

Class 2.3 now divided into 2.3 and 2.3 with subsidiary risk 2.1
Lower flashpoint range for flammable liquids changed from ≤ 23°C to FP < 23°C
Upper limit of flashpoint is changed from FP 61°C to FP 60°C
Class 4.3 is divided into 4.3 Solids and 4.3 Liquids
Class 8 having a flashpoint FP ≥ 23°C and subsidiary risk of 6.1 need an additional bilge system as per regulation II-2/19.3.5
Class 9 which may emit flammable gas – electrical equipment must be of certified safe type of at least IIB T4, IP55.

The Document of compliance for the carriage of dangerous goods as per regulation II-2/19.4 of the SOLAS Convention will be replaced for existing ships during next class renewal.

Table 19.3 is replaced by the following table:

Notes below

11 When .mechanically-ventilated spaces. are required by the IMDG Code.

12 Stow 3 m horizontally away from the machinery space boundaries in all cases.

13 Refer to the IMDG Code.

14 As appropriate for the goods to be carried.

15 FP means flashpoint.

16 Under the provisions of the IMDG Code, stowage of class 5.2 dangerous goods under deck or

in enclosed ro-ro spaces is prohibited.

17 Only applicable to dangerous goods evolving flammable vapour listed in the IMDG Code.

18 Only applicable to dangerous goods having a flashpoint less than 23ºC listed in

the IMDG Code.

19 Only applicable to dangerous goods having a subsidiary risk class 6.1.

20 Under the provisions of the IMDG Code, stowage of class 2.3 having subsidiary risk class 2.1

under deck or in enclosed ro-ro spaces is prohibited.

21 Under the provisions of the IMDG Code, stowage of class 4.3 liquids having a flashpoint less

than 23ºC under deck or in enclosed ro-ro spaces is prohibited.

Flashpoint

Before going into the physics of flashpoint we must know that flashpoint is a very important point in determining stowage of flammable liquids on board vessels. Document of Compliance specifies the holds for carriage of flammable liquids on the basis of flashpoint.

IMDG Code defines flashpoint as the lowest temperature of a liquid at which its vapour forms an ignitable mixture with air.

Wikipedia: The flash point of a volatile material is the lowest temperature at which it can vaporize to form an ignitable mixture in air. Measuring a flash point requires an ignition source. At the flash point, the vapor may cease to burn when the source of ignition is removed.

Let us see two examples of flashpoint

Petrol: -43 Deg C

Diesel: > 62 Deg C

If we light a match and bring it on the surface of petrol (DO NOT TRY IT) the vapours will flash but if same match is brought above diesel it won’t flash unless if diesel is heated at or above its flash point.

This shows that as long as the temperature of a liquid is below its flashpoint it will not have flammable hazard.

To determine the flash point there are various equipments. The liquid to be tested will be kept in a receptacle well below the expected flashpoint and heated slowly while bringing an open flame above its surface the lowest temperature the flash takes place is flashpoint. There are main two differences in this test, open-cup and closed cup. Where ever in IMDG Code a flashpoint is mentioned for any substance the figure is closed-cup.

Consignments of dangerous goods which have flashpoint at or below 60 deg C need to contain the flash point in closed-cup on the declaration.

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)

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 !!!

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