All amendments prior to 33-06 are no longer valid. Amendment 33-06 became valid on 01 January 2007 and may be used until 31 December 2009. Amendment 34-08 becomes valid on 01 January 2009 and may be used until 31 December 2011.

One of the most important changes is appropriate training for shore-side staff involved with dangerous goods is now mandatory instead of just recommended. There are many detailed changes throughout the text of amendment 34, but for information the main changes are:

There are 12 new UN numbers going up to 3481, with explosives going up to 0508. New UN numbers added in Amendment 34-08:

· 0506 SIGNALS, DISTRESS, ship

· 0506 SIGNALS, DISTRESS, ship

· 0507 SIGNALS, SMOKE

· 0508 1-HYDROXYBENZOTRIAZOLE, ANHYDROUS

· 3474 1-HYDROXYBENZOTRIAZOLE, ANHYDROUS, WETTED with not less than 20% water, by mass

· 3475 ETHANOL AND GASOLINE MIXTURE or ETHANOL AND MOTOR SPIRIT MIXTURE or ETHANOL AND PETROL MIXTURE, with more than 10% ethanol

· 3476 FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT, containing water-reactive substances

· 3477 FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT, containing corrosive substances

· 3478 FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT, containing liquefied flammable gas

· 3479 FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT, containing hydrogen in metal hydride

· 3480 LITHIUM ION BATTERIES

· 3481 LITHIUM ION BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or LITHIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT

There are also 5 UN numbers which were previously not listed in the IMDG Code because they were not regulated under it, but are now shown with the observation "Not subject to the provisions of this Code but may be subject to provisions governing the transport of dangerous goods by other modes". This could be useful when a shipment needs to be labelled as hazardous at some other stage of its journey. UN Numbers not previously listed in IMDG but that have been included in Amendment 34-08:

· 1910 CALCIUM OXIDE

· 2807 MAGNETIZED MATERIAL

· 2812 SODIUM ALUMINATE, SOLID

· 3166 ENGINE, INTERNAL COMBUSTION or VEHICLE, FLAMMABLE GAS POWERED or VEHICLE, FLAMMABLE LIQUID POWERED

· 3171 BATTERY-POWERED VEHICLE or BATTERY-POWERED EQUIPMENT

Appropriate training for shore-side staff involved with dangerous goods is now mandatory instead of just recommended, and may be audited by the competent authority. Persons not yet trained may only operate under the direct supervision of a trained person.