Circular

  1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its ninety-second session (12 to 21 June 2013), in adopting resolution MSC.354(92) on Amendments to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code and considering the proposal by the Sub-Committee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers, at its seventeenth session, invited SOLAS Contracting Governments to implement the aforementioned amendment as soon as practicable, in particular sections 4 and 8, taking into account that the entry-into-force date of the amendment is expected to be 1 January 2015.

  2 The relevant paragraphs of sections 4 and 8 of the amendment to the IMSBC Code are as follows:

• "Section 4 – Assessment of acceptability of consignments for safe shipment

• 4.3.2 When a concentrate or other cargo which may liquefy is carried, the shipper shall provide the ship's master or his representative with a signed certificate of the TML, and a signed certificate or declaration of the moisture content, each issued by an entity recognized by the Competent Authority of the port of loading. The certificate of TML shall contain, or be accompanied by, the result of the test for determining the TML. The declaration of moisture content shall contain, or be accompanied by, a statement by the shipper that the moisture content is, to the best of his knowledge and belief, the average moisture content of the cargo at the time the declaration is presented to the master.

• 4.3.3 When a concentrate or other cargo which may liquefy is carried, procedures for sampling, testing and controlling moisture content to ensure the moisture content is less than the TML when it is on board the ship, shall be established by the shipper, taking account of the provisions of this Code. Such procedures shall be approved and their implementation checked by the competent authority of the port of loading^footnote. The document issued by the competent authority stating that the procedures have been approved shall be provided to the master or his representative.

• 4.3.4 If the cargo is loaded on to the ship from barges, in developing the procedures under 4.3.3, the shipper shall include procedures to protect the cargo on the barges from any precipitation and water ingress.

• 4.4.3 For a concentrate or other cargo which may liquefy, the shipper shall facilitate access to stockpiles for the purpose of inspection, sampling and subsequent testing by the ship's nominated representative.

• Section 8 – Test procedures for cargoes which may liquefy

• 8.4.2 If samples remain dry following a can test, the moisture content of the material may still exceed the Transportable Moisture Limit (TML)."

  3 Member Governments are invited to bring this circular to the attention of all concerned, taking into account the voluntary application date of 1 January 2014, of the amendment to the IMSBC Code, pending its envisaged mandatory entry-into-force date of 1 January 2015.