IMO: SUB-COMMITTEE ON DANGEROUS GOODS,

UNCLAS LONDON 002621

SIPDIS

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SUBJECT: IMO: SUB-COMMITTEE ON DANGEROUS GOODS,
SOLID CARGOES AND CONTAINERS (DSC),REPORT OF THE
13TH SESSION, LONDON, SEPTEMBER 22-26, 2008


1. SUMMARY: The 13th session of the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) Sub-Committee (S/C) on
Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers (DSC)
met in London from September 22-26, 2008 under the
chairmanship of Mrs. Olga Pestel-Lefevre (France).
The session was attended by delegations from sixty-
eight member states, one associate member, two
inter-governmental organizations and fourteen non-
governmental organizations in consultative status.
Working groups (WGs) and drafting groups (DGs) were
formed to address several of the agenda items. USDEL
objectives were achieved. The outcomes of particular
interest include the following:


A. The S/C began work on Amendment 35-10 to the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code
and agreed in principle to various proposals subject
to finalization by the Editorial & Technical (E&T)
working group which will meet in spring 2009.
Amendment 34-08 to the IMDG Code was adopted
unanimously at the 84th session of Marine Safety
Committee (MSC) by resolution MSC.262(84). Amendment
34-08 will be published in fall 2008 and will attain
voluntary status on January 1, 2009 and mandatory
status on January 1, 2010.


B. The S/C completed its work on Amendments to the
International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC)
Code and its mandatory application. A WG was formed
during DSC13 to prepare a draft revised schedules
for direct reduced iron (DRI),sulphur, coal,
woodchips, and wood pellets. The WG also prepared
draft amendments to the forward and section 1 of the
IMSBC Code as instructed by MSC84. This work will
become part of the mandatory IMSBC Code and will be
forwarded directly to MSC85 with a view to adoption.
The IMSBC Code will attain mandatory status on
January 1, 2011. END SUMMARY.

Amendments to the IMDG Code and its supplements
-------------- --

2. The S/C considered 14 separate proposals under
this agenda item. Several were agreed to in
principle for inclusion in Amendment 35-10 to the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code,
and were referred to the E&T working group for
refinement and consolidation in the draft amendment.
Other proposals were either rejected or deferred for
further consideration at DSC 14 contingent on
submission of revised proposals. Also under this
agenda item, the S/C considered a proposal to
establish minimum safety requirements for vehicles
and equipment that contain various amounts of
dangerous goods such as fuels, batteries,
accumulators, or fuel cells. In considering the
issue, the S/C agreed in principle that minimum
standards should be developed and invited the United
States to submit a revised proposal to the E&T group
for refinement and inclusion in Amendment 35-10 to
the IMDG Code.

Amendments to the IMSBC Code, including evaluation
of properties of solid bulk cargoes
-------------- --------------

3. The S/C convened a WG to consider the schedules
for DRI, sulphur, coal, woodchips, wood pellets, and
amendments to the forward and section 1 of the IMSBC
Code under this agenda item and made several
decisions based on the results of the WG's
deliberations. The WG deliberated on these cargoes
and prepared draft revised schedules for inclusion
in the mandatory IMSBC Code. In particular, the WG
finalized draft schedules DRI (A),briquettes, hot-
molded and DRI (B),lumps, pellets, briquettes,
cold-molded. The WG also finalized a draft schedule
for DRI (C) for by-product fines giving preference
to inerting (vice mechanically ventilating) cargo
spaces during carriage. These amendments will be
included in the mandatory IMSBC Code, subject to
approval and adoption at MSC85 which meets at end of
November, 2008.


Casualty and incidents reports and analysis
--------------

4. The S/C considered an incident report from
Secretariat whereby a portable tank loaded with
titanium tetrachloride leaked and caused harm to two
crew members and four dock workers. The titanium
tetrachloride mixed with water causing the evolution
of hydrochloric acid vapors which are highly toxic.
The S/C noted the report and requested interested
member governments to submit proposals to DSC 14 on
this issue. The S/C also considered an incident
report from the Republic of Iran whereby a portable
tank of methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) leaked
and subsequently exploded; however, no one was
seriously injured. The S/C was of the opinion that
the leak was a result of improper loading and
handling but, nonetheless, agreed to minor
amendments to the IMDG Code to highlight the hazards
of MEKP. The S/C also considered an incident report
from the United States involving the release of
argon, refrigerated liquid, from a portable tank.
The portable tank failed while stowed below deck and
subsequently led to the asphyxiation deaths of three
longshoreman. As a result of this incident, the S/C
agreed in principle to prohibit the under deck
stowage of all refrigerated liquefied gases subject
to finalization by the E&T Group. The S/C also
reviewed the reports from eleven member governments
and from the Secretariat concerning container
inspection programs that had been carried out in
various countries and further agreed to urge all
member governments to submit such reports in the
future in accordance with MSC.1/Circ.1202.

Extension of the Code of Practice for the Safe
Loading and Unloading for Bulk Carriers (BLU Code)
-------------- --------------

5. The S/C recalled that at DSC 11 it was decided
that amendments to Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)
chapter IV to extend the application of the BLU Code
grain should be coordinated with the SOLAS
amendments to make the IMSBC Code mandatory.
However, the target completion date for this agenda
item was extended to 2009 in order to prepare
consequential amendments to the BLU Code and the
Manual in light of the recent amendments to the
IMSBC Code. On this basis, the S/C established an
intersessional correspondence group under the
chairmanship of the United States to progress this
work and prepare a written report to DSC14.

Guidance on providing safe working conditions for
securing of containers, amendments to the Code of
Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS
Code),and form and procedure for approval of the
cargo securing manual
-------------- --------------

6. The S/C convened a WG to consider numerous issues
under these agenda items and made several decisions
based on the results of the WG's deliberations. The
WG deliberated on the following issues: measures to
prevent container lashing systems from failing
including measures to improve efficiency where
possible, lashing position design, turnbuckle
design, container top working, and the application
of these proposed amendments to new and existing
ships. The WG made progress on all of these issues
and the S/C decided to extend the target completion
date of these agenda items to 2009 in order to
reconvene the WG at DSC14 to complete the work.

Review of the Recommendations on the Safe use of
Pesticides in Ships
-------------- ---

7. The S/C, at DSC10, considered two proposals by
Germany noting that the Recommendations cover three
aspects of the use of pesticides on board ships,
namely: the fumigation of containers and cargo
transport units subject to the IMDG Code, the
fumigation of cargo holds containing dry cargoes
subject to the IMSBC Code, and the control of rodent
pests on board all ships. The S/C established a


drafting group at DSC12 to develop two draft MSC
circulars, which were subsequently approved at
MSC84, as applicable to the safe use of pesticides
for cargo holds (MSC/Circ.689) and for cargo
transport units (MSC/Circ.746). The S/C noted that
one issue remained outstanding, namely the control
of rodent pests on board all kinds of ships and
further noting that no documents were submitted to
DSC13 on this issue, invited member governments to
submit proposals to DSC 14 for consideration.

Guidance on Protective Clothing
--------------

8. The S/C recalled an amendment to the 2000 HSC
Code and SOLAS II-2, as prepared by the 49th session
of the S/C on Fire Protection, to include a
requirement to carry chemical protective clothing on
board the vessel taking into account the danger of
the chemicals to be carried. The S/C expressed a
view that, if the relevant amendments were approved
by MSC, the S/C should develop associated guidance
concerning the selection of protective clothing. On
this basis, the S/C considered a proposal by Sweden
to refer to EN 943-2 as a suitable standard for the
selection of protective clothing. However, the S/C
was of the opinion that this standard may provide
too little protection and there were other standards
which should also be taken into consideration, such
as the American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienist's "Guidelines for the Selection
of Chemical Protective clothing". On this basis, the
S/C established a DG to develop guidance on
protective clothing. Having received the report of
the DG, the S/C decided to extend the target
completion date of the agenda item to 2009 and
invited member governments to submit proposals to
DSC14 for consideration.

Revision of the Code of Safe Practice for Ships
Carrying Timber Deck Cargoes
-------------- --

9. The S/C considered the report of the
intersessional correspondence group which was
established at DSC12 to progress work under this
under agenda item. The S/C approved the report in
general and agreed to establish a WG at DSC 13.
Having received the report of the WG, the S/C took
decisions on a number of issues and re-established
the correspondence group under the chairmanship of
Sweden to continue the work intersessionally and
submit a written report to DSC14.

Stowage of water reactive materials
--------------

10. The S/C noted a proposal by Germany to review
the cargo stowage, segregation, and packing
requirements for water reactive substances covered
by the IMDG Code and agreed to include this agenda
item in the work program of the S/C with a target
completion date of 2009. In the proposal, Germany
observed that there are some water-reactive
substances that could react dangerously with carbon
dioxide and therefore would render conventional
fire-fighting mediums useless or even dangerous in
an emergency situation. The S/C, noting that no
documents were submitted under this agenda item,
invited Germany and other interested member
governments to continue research in this area and to
submit proposals to DSC 14 for consideration.

Amendments to the International Convention for
Safe Containers, 1972
-------------- -

11. The S/C recalled that DSC12 considered proposals
to standardize the scope, principles, and
requirements of the continuous examination
programmes in light of a recent incident involving a
deficient container and agreed to include this
agenda item in the work program of the S/C with a
target completion date of 2009. Under this agenda
item, the S/C took decisions on a number of
proposals and decided to establish an intersessional


correspondence group under the chairmanship of the
International Standards Organization (ISO) to
progress this work and prepare a written report to
DSC14.


Review of the guidelines for packing cargo transport
units
-------------- --------------

12. The S/C recalled that DSC12 considered a
proposal by Germany, noting that Guidelines on
Packing of Cargo Transport Units have not been
amended since the adoption of Amendment 31-02 to the
IMDG Code and that the Guidelines may benefit from
improvements, and agreed to include this agenda item
in the work program of the S/C with a target
completion date of 2009. The S/C noted that the
guidelines were prepared in co-operation with the
Inland Transport Committee of the United Nations
Economic Commission for Europe and the International
Labor Organization and amendments to the guidelines
would have to be approved by these organizations.
Therefore the S/C was of the view that it would not
be possible to amend the Guidelines for the 2008
edition of the Supplement to the IMDG Code. On this
basis, the S/C established a DG to prepare
amendments to the Guidelines to harmonize with
Amendment 34-08 to the IMDG Code. Having received
the report of the DG, the S/C decided to forward
Guidelines to the E&T Group for further
consideration and finalization.

Any other business
--------------

13. The S/C considered a proposal by the Republic of
Iran to require the use of fixed or portable
radiation detection equipment in port areas in order
to protect port workers, other persons, and the
environment from inadvertent exposure radioactive
contamination. The S/C supported the proposal Q
principle and, noting that close co-operation with
the International Atomic Energy Agency would be
required, invited the Republic of Iran to submit a
request for a new work programme item in accordance
with the Guidelines on the organization and method
of work. The S/C also considered information
provided by the dry cargo ship owners non-
governmental organization; INTERCARGO regarding an
ongoing investigation into high loading rates for
bulk carriers. These loading rates give an
indication that the provisions of the BLU Code have
not been universally applied by all member
governments. The S/C agreed that the issue had merit
and instructed the correspondence group established
under the agenda item titled "Extension of the BLU
Code to include grain" to consider the issue
intersessionally and provide a written report to DSC

14.

Review of documentation requirements for dangerous
goods in packaged form
-------------- --------------

14. The S/C noted a proposal by the United States to
review documentation requirements for dangerous
goods in packaged form and, if necessary, to prepare
amendments to SOLAS chapter VII regulation 4 and the
IMDG Code and agreed to include this agenda item in
the work program of the S/C with a target completion
date of 2009. In the proposal, United States
observed that ambiguities and inconsistencies exist
with respect to the application documentation
requirements and was of the opinion that SOLAS
needed to be amended in order to ensure safety and
efficient transportation of dangerous goods. The S/C
supported the proposal in principle and, noting that
the documentation requirements contained in
International Convention for the Prevention of
Pollution From Ships (MARPOL) Annex III, agreed to
forward the proposal to the E&T Group for
finalization and invited the United States to submit
a proposal to the Marine Environmental Protection
Committee (MEPC) to expand the scope of this agenda


item to include a review of the documentation
requirements contained in MARPOL Annex III.

Election of the Chairman and date of next meeting
-------------- ---

15. The S/C unanimously re-elected Mrs. Olga Pestel-
Lefevre (France) as chairman and Mr. Arsenio A.
Dominguez (Panama) as vice chairman for 2009. The
date of the 14th session of the DSC Sub-Committee is
tentatively scheduled for September 21-25, 2009.

TUTTLE