Cargoes

Within the Sub-Division for marine technologies and cargoes, IMO staff responsible for cargoes matters deal with all technical and operational matters related to the following subjects, including the development of any necessary amendments to relevant conventions and other mandatory and non-mandatory instruments, as well as the preparation of new mandatory and non-mandatory instruments, guidelines and recommendations, for consideration by the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) (under the direct instructions of the Maritime Safety Committee and the Marine Environment Protection Committee):

• effective implementation of the relevant conventions, codes and other instruments, mandatory or recommendatory, as appropriate, dealing with cargo operations, which include packaged dangerous goods, solid bulk cargoes, bulk gas and containers;
• evaluation of safety and pollution hazards of packaged dangerous goods, solid bulk cargoes and gas cargoes;
• survey and certification of ships carrying hazardous cargoes;
• further enhancement of the safety and security culture, and environmental consciousness in all cargo and container operations; and
• cooperation with other relevant UN bodies, IGOs and NGOs on international standards related to containers and to cargo operations.

The conventions and other mandatory instruments (as may be amended from time to time) referred to above include, but are not limited to:

• 1974 SOLAS Convention (chapters VI and VII and other relevant parts, as appropriate);
• MARPOL (Annexes III and V, as appropriate);
• International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC), 1972;
• International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code and related supplements;
• International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code and related supplements;
• International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code);
• International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on board Ships (INF Code);
• International Code for the Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk; and
• Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code).

The non-mandatory instruments, referred to in paragraph 1, which the Sub‑Committee may be called upon to review, include, but are not limited to:

• Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes (BC Code);
• Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (GC Code);
• Code of Safe Practice for Ships Carrying Timber Deck Cargoes;
• Code Safe Practice for the Safe Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers (BLU Code);
• Recommendations on the Safe Transport of Dangerous Cargoes and related Activities in Port Areas;
• Guidelines for the Preparation of the Cargo Securing Manual;
• Emergency Response Procedures for Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods (EmS Guide);
• Medical First Aid Guide for Use in Accidents Involving Dangerous Goods (MFAG);
• Reporting procedures, including inspection programmes for cargo transport units carrying dangerous goods; reporting of incidents involving harmful substances and/or marine pollutants; reporting of casualties involving dangerous cargoes;
• IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units;
• Recommendations on the Safe Use of Pesticides in Ships; and
• Recommendations and guidelines relevant to the carriage of bulk cargoes.

Any other relevant technical and operational issues referred to it by the CCC Sub-Committee of MSC and/or MEPC Committees as well as other technical bodies of the Organization.