THE REVISIONS TO MARPOL ANNEX II — A PRACTICAL GUIDE

It is well known that the marine transportation of chemical substances is logistically and technically totally different from transportation of crude oil and oil products. Chemical carriers are much more advanced from technical point of view. Their cargo may be noxious and/or hazardous chemicals of very high value and transportation of such cargoes will require sophisticated handling in order to provide safety, health and loss prevention.

Since such vessels are very complex, they are more robust in comparison to regular bulk carriers. The huge number of cargo tanks, complex cargo operating systems and supply of deck services make it possible for chemical carriers to transport quite a wide range of various substances in accordance with the IMO IBC/BCH Code requirements. The chemical goods transported by sea require thorough and very careful consideration in the process of the planning and their loading on board.

Some of them can be sensitive to the temperature while others are presented in a form of the semi-gas; moreover, some of those cargoes can react with each other, and this all creates so many additional difficulties and risks associated with the marine transportation of such goods. That is why the main preliminary checks are to be made as necessary of the chemical vessel type, coating in the tanks, environmental controls such as inerting, cross-compatibility with any other carried cargo etc.