1.1 The carriage of liquid substances in bulk
is regulated by SOLAS 74 and MARPOL 73/78 for safety and pollution prevention purposes.
1.2 Liquid cargoes which may be offered for shipment
in bulk can be divided into the following groups:
1.3 Liquefied gases are listed in chapter 19 of the International Code for the
Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk
(IGC Code) and their shipment is subject to the provisions of that
Code.
1.4 The notion of "oil" includes petroleum in
any form (crude oil, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse and refined products,
other than petrochemicals which are included in 1.2.3 above). The
shipment of oil is regulated by Annex I to
MARPOL 73/78.
1.5 A number of cargoes can be shipped either
on gas or chemical tankers. They are included both in chapter 19 of the IGC Code and in chapter 17 of the International Code for the
Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in
Bulk (IBC Code).
1.6 Each liquid offered for carriage in bulk should
be identified as either a gas or an oil or a chemical. These Guidelines
apply only to liquids identified as chemicals.
1.7 The requirements for the carriage of chemicals
in bulk are defined in the IBC Code and the
Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous
Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code). The IBC Code applies
to chemical tankers built on or after 1 July 1986 and is mandatory
under both SOLAS 74 and MARPOL
73/78. The BCH Code applies to those built before I July 1986.
The latter is mandatory under MARPOL 73/78 and
recommended under SOLAS 74.
1.8 In the present Guidelines reference is made
to the IBC Code only, for the sake of brevity;
however, it implies reference to the BCH Code as well, as applicable.
1.9 The procedures described in the present Guidelines
are presented in diagram form in annex
1.