Section 1 Introduction

  1.1 The carriage of liquid substances in bulk is regulated by SOLAS 74 and MARPOL 73/78 for safety and pollution prevention purposes.

  1.2 Liquid cargoes which may be offered for shipment in bulk can be divided into the following groups:

• .1 liquefied gases;

• .2 oils; and

• .3 noxious and non-noxious liquid substances, hereafter referred to as "chemicals".

  1.3 Liquefied gases are listed in chapter 19 of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) and their shipment is subject to the provisions of that Code.

  1.4 The notion of "oil" includes petroleum in any form (crude oil, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse and refined products, other than petrochemicals which are included in 1.2.3 above). The shipment of oil is regulated by Annex I to MARPOL 73/78.

  1.5 A number of cargoes can be shipped either on gas or chemical tankers. They are included both in chapter 19 of the IGC Code and in chapter 17 of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (IBC Code).

  1.6 Each liquid offered for carriage in bulk should be identified as either a gas or an oil or a chemical. These Guidelines apply only to liquids identified as chemicals.

  1.7 The requirements for the carriage of chemicals in bulk are defined in the IBC Code and the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code). The IBC Code applies to chemical tankers built on or after 1 July 1986 and is mandatory under both SOLAS 74 and MARPOL 73/78. The BCH Code applies to those built before I July 1986. The latter is mandatory under MARPOL 73/78 and recommended under SOLAS 74.

  1.8 In the present Guidelines reference is made to the IBC Code only, for the sake of brevity; however, it implies reference to the BCH Code as well, as applicable.

  1.9 The procedures described in the present Guidelines are presented in diagram form in annex 1.