DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT M ERCHANT SHIPPING NOTICE NO. M.

1168

CARRIAGE OF DANGEROUS LIQUID CHEMICALS AND

LIQUEFIED GASES IN BULK

1. Merchant Shipping Notices M.1045 and M.1046 publicised the Codes

published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), relating to
ships carrying dangerous chemicals and liquefied gases in bulk.

Bulk Chemical Code and Gas Carrier Codes

2. The IMOs Maritime Safety Committee in June 1983 approved a tenth set
of amendments to the Code for the Construction and Equipment of
Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (Bulk Chemical Code in
short, adopted under IMO resolution A.212(VII)), and this has now been
published as a supplement to the 1980 Edition of the Code. A fourth set
of amendments to the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships
Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (Gas Carrier Code in short, adopted
under IMO resolution A.328(IX)) was also approved, and a new version
of this Code, incorporating all four sets of amendments, has been compiled.
Both publications are available from the Publications Department, Inter-
national Maritime Organization, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR.
A fourth set of amendments to the Code for Existing Ships Carrying
Liquefied Gases in Bulk was approved by the Maritime Safety Committee
in November 1984 and comes into effect on 26 May 1985. Some of the
above revisions are highlighted below.

3. The Secretary of State considers that the amendments to the above-

mentioned IMO Codes are relevant for the purposes of the Merchant
Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1981. He further considers that
the tenth set of amendments to the IMO Code for the Construction and
Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk and the fourth
set of amendments to the IMO Code for the Construction and Equipment
of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk should take effect in the United
Kingdom from 1 May 1985. The fourth set of amendments to the Code for
Existing Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk should take effect in the
United Kingdom from 26 May 1985. Accordingly, references to these IMO
Codes in those Regulations are to be construed on and after those dates
as references to those Codes as so amended.

Annual and intermediate surveys

4. Included in the approved amendments to the Codes are revised survey
requirements. In addition to an initial survey for the issue of the Certificate
of Fitness, and a periodical survey for the renewal of the Certificate, annual
surveys and at least one intermediate survey will also be required during
the validity of the Certificate. The annual survey should be held within
three months before or after the anniversary date of the Certificate.
5. When only one intermediate survey is conducted per 5-year Certificate
period, it should be carried out within six months before or after the half
way date of the Certificates period of validity.

When only one intermediate survey is intended, the time-scale for surveys
is as indicated in the diagram below:

Annual Surveys

Years 0 1 2 3 4 5

Initial Periodic
Survey (Renewal)
Intermediate Survey Survey

An intermediate survey may take the place of one of the annual surveys
if the survey is carried out within one of the two overlapping periods and
hence fulfils the timing requirements for both annual and intermediate
surveys.

6. It should be noted that the survey requirements are applicable to all

chemical tankers and gas carriers, regardless of tonnage, covered by the
Codes referred to in paragraph 2. Broadly, an annual survey is a general
examination of the vessel to ensure that its structure, equipment, fittings and
arrangements remain satisfactory for the intended service. An intermediate
survey includes a thorough examination of the items surveyed annually, but is
not to be confused with the intermediate survey of hull and equipment items
required of tankers of ten years of age or more by the International Convention
for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974.

7. It should be noted that the Certificate will cease to be valid if the surveys
are not carried out within the periods specified. Moreover, no extension of the
five year period of the Certificate will be permitted.

8. Information on how these annual and intermediate surveys will be

implemented by the United Kingdom, as part of its voluntary survey scheme, is
contained in Merchant Shipping Notice M.1169 for chemicals and M.1170 for
liquefied gases.

9. The principal additional changes arising from the amendments to the Codes
are summarized in paragraphs 10 to 12 below.

10. Bulk Chemical Code

10.1 Chapter IIcargo containment

A footnote has been added to Part A of Chapter II of the Bulk Chemical

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Code, stating that the provisions of Chapter 2 of the International Bulk
Chemical Code (IBC Code), if satisfied in their entirety, may be applied
as an alternative to Part A. (See paragraph 13 below regarding the IBC
Code).

10.2 Chapter IIsafety equipment

The fire safety arrangements have been updated to take account of the requirements
of the 1981 SOLAS Amendments. New ships, as defined in Chapter II2/1.1 of
those Amendments, should comply with the revised paragraph 3.13. Other chemical
tankers should comply with 3.13, 3.14 or 3.15, as applicable, of the 1980 edition of
the Bulk Chemical Code. The words and pump rooms adjacent to, or serving spaces
adjacent to cargo tanks are to be omitted from paragraph 3.15.2.

10.3 Chapter IVspecial requirements

Amendments are included to the special requirements for the carriage of
phosphorus and propylene oxide, and new special requirements included
for ammonium nitrate solutions of 93 per cent or less, hydrogen peroxide
solutions over 60 per cent but not over 70 per cent, and sodium chlorate
solutions of 50 per cent or less. An alternative section on overflow control
is added.

10.4 Chapter VIsummary of minimum requirements

Chloroprene is deleted from the list of substances (the substance is
hazardous and amended safe carriage conditions have not been agreed),
and there are amendments to the requirements for dimethylamine aqueous
and for propylene oxide. A further 33 products are added to the summary
of minimum requirements.

10.5 Chapter VIIList of chemicals to which the Code does not apply
Three more products are added to this list.

11. Gas Carrier Code

11.1 Chapter Illship arrangements

Amendments are included to the requirements for cargo pump rooms, cargo
compressor rooms and cargo control rooms.

11.2 Chapter VImaterials of construction

Tables 6.1,6.2, 6.3, 6.4 and 6.5 have been revised.

11.3 Chapter XIfire protection and fire extinguishing

The fire safety arrangements have been updated to take account of the 1981
Amendments to the SOLAS Convention.

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11.4 Chapter XIIinstrumentation
Paragraph 13.3.1 on liquid level alarms has been revised.

11.5 Chapter XVIIspecial requirements

Revised requirements are included for ethylene oxide, ammonia and
propylene oxide. New requirements are inserted for mixtures of ethylene
oxide and propylene oxide with an ethylene oxide content of not more than
30 per cent by weight, as well as for submerged electric cargo pumps.

11.6 Chapter XVIIIoperating requirements

The Section on cargo transfer operations has been extended to cover the
closing time of the automatic shut-off valve referred to in paragraph 13.3.1.

12. Gas Carrier Code for Existing Ships

12.1 Chapter XVIIspecial requirements
Revised requirements are included for ammonia and propylene oxide. New
requirements are inserted for mixtures of ethylene oxide and propylene
oxide with an ethylene oxide content of not more than 30 per cent by
weight, as well as for submerged electric cargo pumps.

International Bulk Chemical Code and International Gas Carrier Code

13. The Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime
Organization also adopted on 17 June 1983 the International Code for the
Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in
Bulk (International Bulk Chemical (IBC) Code in short; adopted under
resolution MSC 4(48)) and the International Code for the Construction
and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (International Gas
Carrier (IGC) Code in short; adopted under resolution MSC 5(48)), and these have
been published by the IMO as Volumes II and III, respectively, of the 1983
Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
(SOLAS) 1974. Under Chapter VII of the 1983 Amendments to the Convention
(included in Volume I), the requirements of these Codes will become mandatory
for chemical tankers and gas carriers constructed (or ships converted thereto) on or
after 1 July 1986, and it is intended to produce United Kingdom regulations to
make the Codes mandatory. Copies of the 1983 Amendments to the Convention are
obtainable from the Publications Dept, International Maritime Organiz-
ation, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR.

14. The Maritime Safety Committee also adopted on 17 June 1983

resolution MSC 7(48) which recommended that chemical tankers and gas
carriers constructed before 1 July 1986 should comply with the requirements
of the Bulk Chemical Code, the Gas Carrier Code and the Code for Existing
Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk, as appropriate. However, it further
recommended that for chemical tankers and gas carriers constructed before

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1 July 1986 the IBC Code and the IGC Code should be considered at least
equivalent to the Bulk Chemical Code and the Gas Carrier Code, up to
and including the tenth and fourth sets of amendments respectively.
Governments were invited to permit the application of the provisions of
the IBC and IGC Codes to such ships and, where the requirements of these
Codes have been fully complied with, to endorse the Certificates of Fitness
accordingly.

Department of Transport
Marine and Ports Directorate
London WC1V 6LP
March 1985

Crown copyright 1985

Printed by HMSO, Edinburgh Press

Dd 8820586 C14 4/85 Ed (224611)