IMSBC code

Dry Bulk Cargoes Code - Amendments coming into force on 1 December 2023

Published: 25 October 2023

One more month to go before Amendment 06-21 (Amdt 06-21) to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code enters into mandatory force on 1 December 2023. This Amendment will put into effect some major amendments to the IMSBC Code. 

Amdt 06-21 was supposed to enter into force on 1 January 2023 but due to the impact of COVID, the official approval was delayed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).  

Instead, it will now enter into mandatory force on 1 December 2023, although IMO member states have already been given the option to apply parts or whole of the amendment into their national legislation since the beginning of this year.  

There are some major amendments made to the IMSBC Code and they are as follows:  

  1. revised definitions of the IMSBC Code group classifications
  2. deletion of Group C cargo entry “Ammonium nitrate-based fertilizers” and introduction of a whole new Group C entry for the same cargo 
  3. deletion of Group C cargo entry “Superphosphate (triple, granular)” with a new Group B entry of the same name 
  4. addition of new cargoes
  5. revision of the cargo declaration form. 

Note that Amendment 05-19 is still the current amendment in mandatory force and it will run till 30th November 2023 and Amdt 06-21 will take over from 1 December 2023. 

To get the full details, you can either go to our BIMCO solid cargo section/Amendment 06-21 to the IMSBC Code or for a quick brief, view our recent IMSBC Code webinar

The BIMCO Cargo section contains also a cargo database covering all cargo schedules including the cargo description and carriage requirements in accordance with Amdt 06-21.  

Ai Cheng Foo-Nielsen

CONTACT BIMCO

Ai Cheng Foo-Nielsen

Manager, Maritime Information

Copenhagen, Denmark