The purpose of this Code is to provide an international standard for the
safe carriage, in bulk by sea, of dangerous chemicals and noxious liquid substances
listed in chapter 17 of the Code. The Code prescribes the design
and construction standards of ships, regardless of tonnage, involved in such carriage
and the equipment they shall carry to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and the
environment, having regard to the nature of the products involved.
The basic philosophy of the Code is
to assign, to each chemical tanker, one of the ship types according
to the degree of the hazards of the products carried by such ships.
Each of the products may have one or more hazardous properties, including
flammability, toxicity, corrosivity and reactivity, as well as the
hazard they may present to the environment.
Throughout the development of the
Code it was recognized that it must be based upon sound naval architectural
and engineering principles and the best understanding available as
to the hazards of the various products covered. Furthermore, chemical
tanker design technology is not only a complex technology, but is
rapidly evolving and therefore the Code should not remain static.
Thus, the Organization will periodically review the Code, taking into
account both experience and technical developments.
Amendments to the Code involving requirements
for new products and their conditions of carriage will be circulated
as recommendations, on an interim basis, when adopted by the Maritime
Safety Committee (MSC) and the Marine Environment Protection Committee
(MEPC) of the Organization, in accordance with the provisions of article
VIII of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,
1974 (SOLAS 74), and Article 16 - Amendments of
the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto
(MARPOL 73/78), respectively, pending the entry into force of these
amendments.
The Code primarily deals with ship
design and equipment. In order to ensure the safe transport of the
products, the total system must, however, be appraised. Other important
facets of the safe transport of the products, such as training, operation,
traffic control and handling in port, are being, or will be, examined
further by the Organization.
The development of the Code has been
greatly assisted by a number of organizations in consultative status
such as the Association of Classification Societies (IACS) and the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Chapter 16 of the Code, dealing with operational
requirements of chemical tankers, highlights the regulations in other chapters that are
operational in nature and mentions those other important safety features that are
peculiar to chemical tanker operation.
This edition of the Code includes
amendments adopted by the following resolutions:
|
Resolution
|
Adoption
|
Deemed acceptance
|
Entry into force
|
1
|
MSC.10(54)
|
29 April 1987
|
29 April 1988
|
30 October 1988
|
2
|
MSC.14(57)
|
11 April 1989
|
12 April 1990
|
13 October 1990
|
MEPC.32(27)
|
17 March 1989
|
12 April 1990
|
13 October 1990
|
3
|
MSC.28(61)
|
11 December 1992
|
1 January 1994
|
1 July 1994
|
MEPC.55(33)
|
30 October 1992
|
1 January 1994
|
1 July 1994
|
4
|
MSC.50(66)
|
4 June 1996
|
1 January 1998
|
1 July 1998
|
MEPC.69(38)
|
10 July 1996
|
1 January 1998
|
1 July 1998
|
5
|
MSC.58(67)
|
5 December 1996
|
1 January 1998
|
1 July 1998
|
MEPC.73(39)
|
10 March 1997
|
10 January 1998
|
10 July 1998
|
6
|
MSC.102(73)
|
5 December 2000
|
1 January 2002
|
1 July 2002
|
7
|
MSC.176(79)
|
9 December 2004
|
1 July 2006
|
1 January 2007
|
MEPC.119(52)
|
15 October 2004
|
1 July 2006
|
1 January 2007
|
8
|
MSC.219(82)
|
8 December 2006
|
1 July 2008
|
1 January 2009
|
MEPC.166(56)
|
13 July 2007
|
1 July 2008
|
1 January 2009
|