Following a decision made by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the IMO, the old BC Code was renamed the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargo Code and it is due to become mandatory from 1 January 2011. As a result, every terminal and ship that handles or carries cargoes covered by the Code should hold a copy of the current edition which was published in 2009. Whilst the Code covers stowage and carriage by sea, it also deals with loading and unloading issues and it should help to resolve disputes such as those referred to in LP 716.

Members are also reminded that the IMSBC Code will in future be revised every 2 years in the same way as the IMDG Code. Amendment 1 was agreed by the Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers Sub Committee (DSC) at its meeting in September 2010 and will be considered by MSC in May 2011 for approval following which it will be published this time next year, have a transitional year 2012 and come into mandatory force in 2013. Accordingly, a new IMSBC Code will come into force every odd year whereas with the IMDG Code a new edition comes into force every even year.

Source of information: M. Compton

Chairman International Safety Panel (ICHCA)