IMSBC Code Amendment 06-21 coming into force in 5 months

Published: 05 July 2023

Amendment 06-21 to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code will enter into mandatory force on 1 December 2023 putting into effect some major amendments.

Amendments to the IMSBC Code normally take effect on 1 January of the year it is expected to enter into force. Amendment 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.

Instead, it will now enter into mandatory force on 1 December 2023 notwithstanding member government states have been given the option to apply parts or whole of the amendment into their national legislation since the beginning of this year. Note that Amendment 05-19 is still the current amendment in mandatory force.

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

Revised definitions of the IMSBC Code group classifications

Deletion of Group C cargo entry “Ammonium nitrate-based fertilizers” and introduction of a whole new Group C entry for the same cargo

Deletion of Group C cargo entry “Superphosphate (triple, granular)” with a new Group B entry of the same name

Addition of new cargoes

Revision of the Cargo declaration form.

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