MIN 679 (M) Solid bulk cargoes – carriage of coal and carriage and testing of iron ore fines
Published 20 July 2022
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Summary
This Marine Information Note (MIN) follows on from previous International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) guidance on the safe carriage of coal and the carriage and testing of iron ore fines and provides an update on the provisions for these cargoes in the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code.
1. Background
1.1 Since 2011, the IMO has regulated the transportation of solid bulk cargoes through the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code. Awareness of the properties of cargoes and the potential risks arising from their carriage by sea is continually developing.
1.2 The IMSBC Code draws attention to solid bulk cargoes with the potential to liquefy by classifying them as Group A cargoes and to solid bulk cargoes with chemical hazards by classifying them as Group B. The Code then details the various precautions and measures to be taken when carrying those cargoes, including suitable sampling and testing methods to verify specific properties or characteristics such as chemical hazards or transportable moisture limit (TML).
1.3 The IMSBC Code is regularly reviewed and updated on a biennial amendment cycle and the purpose of this MIN is to update the information provided in MGN 60 (Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes (BC Code) 1996 Amendment) and MGN 514 (Early implementation of draft amendments 03-15 to the IMSBC Code related to the carriage and testing of Iron Ore Fines -DSC.1/Circ.71) and to confirm the current provisions of the IMSBC Code in relation to the carriage of coal and the carriage and testing of iron ore fines.
1.4 Therefore, MGN 60 and MGN 514 are now withdrawn as the information in them has been superseded.
2. IMSBC Code – Carriage of Coal
2.1 MGN 60 was published in 1998 and drew stakeholders’ attention to new procedures for gas monitoring of coal cargoes which had been introduced in the 1996 Amendment to the IMO’s Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes (BC Code), the predecessor to the IMSBC Code. The precautions and requirements were mindful of the potential for coal cargoes to emit methane, self-heat and deplete oxygen / increase carbon dioxide within a cargo space.
2.2 The substantial contents from the BC Code were carried over to the IMSBC Code which is the mandatory international standard for the carriage of solid bulk cargoes by sea. In the 2020 edition of the IMSBC Code, incorporating amendment 05-19, the schedule for COAL consists of ten pages. All stakeholders involved in the bulk carriage of coal by sea should be familiar with its contents.
2.3 As the schedule for COAL in the IMSBC Code now incorporates the information that was originally included in MGN 60, the MGN has been superseded by the schedule in the Code and is now withdrawn.
3. IMSBC Code – Iron Ore Fines
3.1 MGN 514 was published in 2014 against a backdrop of numerous cargo liquefaction issues experienced worldwide by bulk carriers carrying iron ore fines and which had been brought to the attention of the IMO. This led to the drawing up of both a separate cargo schedule for IRON ORE FINES as part of the 03-15 amendments to the IMSBC Code and a new test procedure for assessing the transportable moisture limit (TML) of such cargoes in Circular DSC.1/Circ.71.
3.2 Through MGN 514 the MCA drew stakeholders’ attention to the new cargo schedule and test procedure and strongly recommended the early adoption of same ahead of the normal biennial adoption and publication cycle.
3.3 Following the formal adoption of the 03-15 amendments to the IMSBC Code in 2016, the changes concerning the carriage of iron ore fines in bulk were consequently incorporated into the Code.
3.4 As the IMSBC Code now mandates the carriage requirements that were introduced in MGN 514, the MGN has been superseded by the Code and is now withdrawn.
More information
Cargoes, Safety and Pollution Prevention
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Bay 2/23
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
Telephone: +44 (0)203 81 72000
Email: Cargoes@mcga.gov.uk
Website: www.gov.uk/mca
General enquiries: infoline@mcga.gov.uk
Please note that all addresses and telephone numbers are correct at time of publishing.