IMDG Code (Volumes 1 & 2) - 2026

IMDG Code 2026 Edition: Your Essential Guide to Safe Sea Transport of Dangerous Goods

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code is the cornerstone of global regulations for the safe transport of dangerous goods and marine pollutants by sea. First published in 1965, the IMDG Code has evolved to amplify the safety requirements set out in parts A and A-1 of chapter VII of the 1974 SOLAS Convention and Annex III of MARPOL, addressing the growing concern of marine pollution.

The IMDG Code 2026 edition provides comprehensive guidelines for handling dangerous goods and marine pollutants in sea transport. It outlines essential principles, detailed recommendations for specific substances, materials, and articles, and best practices for operational safety. The latest edition will be voluntary from 1 January 2027 and mandatory from 1 January 2028, ensuring your operations are compliant with up-to-date international standards.
Key Features of the IMDG Code 2026 Edition:

Volume 1:

• General provisions, definitions, and training requirements
• Classification of dangerous goods
• Packing and tank provisions
• Consignment procedures
• Construction and testing of packaging, IBCs, large packagings, portable tanks, MEGCs, and road tank vehicles
• Transport operations

Volume 2:

• Dangerous Goods List, special provisions, and exceptions
• Appendix A: List of generic and N.O.S. proper shipping names
• Appendix B: Glossary of terms
• Index for easy reference

Amendment 43-26 includes updates to the provisions for the carriage of batteries and clearer criteria for the transport of vehicles, including electric vehicles. It also introduces new special provisions for vehicle safety assessment (SP 980), revisions to existing special provisions SP 961 and SP 962, new UN entries for lithium and sodium-ion battery systems, updates to segregation distances for radioactive cargo, and consequential amendments to the EmS Guide. It was adopted by the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee at its one hundred and eleventh session in May 2026 and is mandatory from 1 January 2028 but may be applied by Administrations in whole or in part on a voluntary basis from 1 January 2027.

The provisions of the Code should be of interest to maritime administrations, shipping companies, manufacturers, packers, shippers, feeder services such as road and rail, and port authorities.

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