- UK P&I Club informs about the new IMSBC Code amendments.
- They are adopted in the form of a consolidated version of the whole IMSBC code and will enter into force on 1 January 2025.
UK P&I Club informs about the new IMSBC Code amendments, which were adopted in the form of a consolidated version of the whole IMSBC code and will enter into force on 1 January 2025.
According to Captain Akshat Arora, Senior Risk Assessor, members who are involved in the transport of solid bulk cargoes are recommended to ensure compliance with the latest amendments. However, some contracting governments may apply these amendments (or parts thereof) on a voluntary basis from 1 January 2024.
Revised Cargo Information and Declaration form
As explained, under Section 4.2 of the IMSBC Code (cargo information), now the shipper has to provide additional information, namely the cargo’s bulk density, as required by SOLAS regulation XII/10. Hence 4.2.2 has been amended to include “bulk density” information as sub-item.
The Maritime Safety Committee, at its 107th session (31 May to 9 June 2023), in reviewing the outcome of the eighth session of the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 8), recognized the urgent need to resolve a discrepancy between the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code and regulation XII/10 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, concerning the omission of bulk density information in the form for cargo information for solid bulk cargoes, and approved the revised form for cargo information for solid bulk cargoes, pending formal entry into force of the amendments to the IMSBC Code, as given in the annex to this circular.
Member Governments are invited to bring the revised form to the attention of all concerned, taking into account the voluntary application date of 1 January 2024 for amendment 07-23 of the IMSBC Code, pending its envisaged entry into force on 1 January 2025, and in particular to:
- encourage shippers to use cargo information in accordance with the revised form; and
- request port State control officers to note the situation, and use discretion when the ship does not have the required cargo density information until the amendments to the IMSBC Code enter into force.
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Source: Safety4sea
