International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on board Ships (INF Code)

The principal regulations for radioactive transport are the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, which were first published in 1961.  These regulations have been reviewed regularly since then to keep pace with scientific and technological developments.  The IAEA regulations are aim at ensuring safety primarily by the package whatever the mode of transport, and cover both normal and potential accident conditions of transport to protect people, property and the environment against the effects of radiation.

In 1993, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced the voluntary Code for the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on Board Ships (INF Code), complementing the IAEA regulations. This voluntary Code introduced recommendations for the design of ships transporting radioactive material and addressed such issues as stability after damage, fire protection, and structural resistance.  

In January 2001, the INF Code was made mandatory and renamed the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Waste on Board Ships.  Since coming into force, the Code has been amended by resolutions MSC.118(74), MSC.135(76), MSC.178(79) and MSC.241(83).