Heat Pipe

Heat pipe is a heat-transfer device which works on thermal conductivity and phase transition to manage the transfer of heat between two solid interfaces.

Heat pipes have various uses in the industry such as electronic cooling, radar electronics, waste heat recovery, satellite thermal control etc. Certain Heat pipes contains Propylene (UN 1077), Toluene (UN1294) and Anhydrous Ammonia (UN1005).

Experts from Spain submitted proposal at the Forty-first session of Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods to assign new UN Number for transport of heat pipes since this type of devise is not fitting into any currently available proper shipping names.

Proposal is to assign a new UN 3XXX with proper shipping name “Dangerous goods in heat pipes”

Read more about heat pipes on European Space Agency‘s website

STOWAGE OF GOODS OF CLASS 2

General Stowage Precautions
General stowage precautions for goods of class 2 is addressed in chapter 7 section 7.1.8.1 of IMDG Code. Requirement also addresses section 7.4.2.5.2. for gases loaded in containers which may cause oxygen depleted or enriched atmosphere inside containers.

Loading a container into a Container ship hold. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Specific Stowage Requirements

Specific stowage requirement of each dangerous goods is listed in Column 16 of Dangerous Goods List in Chapter 3.2 of IMDG CodE.
Class 2.2 may be allowed on deck or under deck or may only be allowed on deck in specific cases

Example 1 : 1002 AIR, COMPRESSED Class 2.2 – Stowage Category A. ( ON DECK OR UNDER DECK )

Example 2 : 1963 HELIUM, REFRIGERATED LIQUID Class 2.2 – Stowage Category D. ( ON DECK ONLY )

From above examples we understand that certain class 2.2 is allowed on or under deck but certain class 2.2 is allowed only on deck.

Hence it is imperative that we must look at stowage category for each dangerous goods to ascertain the particular stowage requirement.

DISPLAY OF UN NUMBERS ON VEHICLES, TANKS & CONTAINERS

In below cases the UN Number must be displayed on the Vehicles, Tanks or Containers

Tank	Solids, liquids or gases transported (on each compartment of a multi-compartment tank)
Container	When only one UN Number is loaded and it is having excess of 4,000 KG gross mass
Tanks	Unpackaged LSA-I or SCO-I material of class 7
Vehicle	Unpackaged LSA-I or SCO-I material of class 7
Container	Unpackaged LSA-I or SCO-I material of class 7
Vehicle	Packaged radioactive material with a single UN Number transported under exclusive use
Container	Packaged radioactive material with a single UN Number transported under exclusive use
Bulk Container	Solid dangerous goods

UN Number must be displayed in black digits not less than 65 mm high.

Example >>

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

Copra

Copra is dried coconut meat. Used mainly for extracting coconut oil, after extracting oil the seedcake is mainly used as animal feed.

Due to oil content Copra is classified as Dangerous Goods, Class 4.2, substances liable to spontaneous combustion. Oil expelled seedcake of Copra falls under same classification due to its nature of spontaneous combustion.

UN number assigned to Copra is UN 1363. IMDG Code describes Copra as Dried kernels of coconuts, with a penetrating rancid odour which may taint other cargoes.

Further stowage requirement states “The cargo shall be stowed “Away from” pipes and bulkheads which are liable to become heated (e.g. engine-room or heated fuel tank bulkheads). During the voyage regular temperature readings shall be taken at varying depths in the hold and recorded. If the temperature of the cargo exceeds the ambient temperature and continues to increase, ventilation shall be closed down”.

DANGEROUS GOODS IN MACHINERY or APPARATUS

Certain machinery or apparatus containing small quantities of dangerous goods may be transported by sea under UN Number 3363 Class 9. For assigning this UN Number various factors must be checked and ensure the conditions laid down in special provision 301 of UN Model Regulations / IMDG Code are met with.

Click here to see n example of Dangerous goods in apparatus.

Special provision 301 of UN Model Regulations

The entry UN 3363, DANGEROUS GOODS IN MACHINERY or DANGEROUS GOODS IN APPARATUS, Class 9 only applies to machinery or apparatus containing dangerous substances as a residue or an integral element of the machinery or apparatus.

It shall not be used for machinery or apparatus for which a Proper Shipping Name already exists in the Dangerous Goods List.
Machinery and apparatus transported under this entry shall only contain dangerous goods which are authorized to be transported in accordance with the provisions in chapter 3.4 (Limited quantities).

The quantity of dangerous goods in machinery or apparatus shall not exceed the quantity specified in column 7a of the Dangerous Goods List for each item of dangerous goods contained.

If the machinery or apparatus contains more than one item of dangerous goods, the individual substances shall not be capable of reacting dangerously with one another (see 4.1.1.6).

When it is required to ensure liquid dangerous goods remain in their intended orientation, package orientation labels meeting the specifications of ISO 780:1985 shall be affixed on at least two opposite vertical sides with the arrows pointing in the correct direction.

The transport of dangerous goods in machinery or apparatus where the quantity of dangerous goods exceeds the quantity specified in column 7a of the Dangerous Goods List is authorized when approved by the competent authority.

European road regulations do not consider UN 3363 as dangerous goods. Section 1.1.3.1.( Exemptions related to the nature of the transport) section (b) of ADR states “ The carriage of machinery of equipment not specified in this Annex and which happen to contain dangerous goods in their i8nternal or operational equipment, provided that measures have been taken to prevent any leakage of contents in normal conditions of carriage”.

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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