UK P&I Club re-launches IMDG code booklets

Dangerous goods have long been involved in serious transport incidents, onshore and at sea, resulting in deaths, injuries, massive rescue operations and huge commercial losses. Typically, packages spill their contents and cause fires, explosions and toxic or corrosive gas releases.

Containers may be badly packed and secured or house incompatible substances, with the potential hazard masked by poor marking and labelling and reinforced by inadequate or even false documentation. During loading, boxes may be inadequately secured and inappropriately positioned, relative to the contents of others nearby and their exposure to the elements and extreme seas.

The club says that thousands of containers full of dangerous goods are moved across the seas and that as more ultra-large container ships enter service that number will grow further.