The 6th session of the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 6) met at the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) headquarters from 9-13 September 2019 under the chairmanship of Ms MaryAnne Adams from the Marshall Islands. IUMI was represented by Hendrike Kühl (IUMI Policy Director). Here is a short summary of the key issues discussed:

 

IMDG Code

The Sub-Committee agreed the next set of draft amendments to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code which will be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 102) for adoption. The Sub‑Committee also established a correspondence group to review maritime special provisions (SPs) in chapter 3.3 of the IMDG Code, in order to identify those SPs permitting exemptions from the full application of the Code. Once these have been identified, the correspondence group will discuss a way forward. The review is intended to address issues related to non-declaration and misdeclaration of dangerous goods. In this regard, IUMI co-sponsored a paper which looks at the problem of non-declaration and misdeclaration of dangerous goods in relation to SPs.

 

IMSBC Code

Progress was made in developing the next set of draft amendments to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code. This set of amendments will include updates to individual schedules and proposed new individual schedules. The Sub-Committee also discussed the need for a distinction between the phenomena of liquefaction and dynamic separation for Group A cargoes. Dynamic separation only applies to bauxite. The issue was referred to the Editorial & Technical (E&T) Group for further discussion ahead of the next CCC session.

 

CSS Code: Weather-dependent lashing agreed

The Sub-Committee agreed draft amendments to annex 13 of the Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code) related to weather-dependent lashing, aimed at ensuring the highest level of cargo securing, taking into account expected weather conditions and other factors.

 

Inspection programme for containers

CCC 6 made progress in revising the guidance on inspection programmes for cargo transport units (CTUs), including expanding the current guidelines for inspections related to transport of dangerous goods at sea, to include all types of cargoes carried in CTUs – not only dangerous goods. IUMI is very supportive of this approach. The Sub-Committee encouraged Member States to undertake CTU inspections and report their findings to the IMO.