Scientific Hazard Evaluation of Solid Bulk Cargoes Transported by Ships

Introduction: The International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code developed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) became mandatory in January 2011. One of its aims is to provide hazard information for a safer maritime shipment of solid bulk cargoes. A comparable listing and identification of the hazards has to be developed to enable mariners to introduce the appropriate occupational safety measures when handling, loading or un-loading the cargoes. An internationally accepted classification of the hazards of the cargoes is felt necessary for port management and emergency. However, criteria for Materials Hazardous when Transported in Bulk (so-called MHB cargoes) have been adopted only recently. Very few toxicological hazard classifications of the cargoes listed for transport in bulk have been prepared and published to date. To identify the health risks of solid bulk cargoes and to identify MHB cargoes in a systematic manner a data collection and hazard evaluation of the 152 cargoes listed in the code was started. Approach: As a first step, identification of toxicological data and hazard classifications has been started. Toxicological data collection is performed via publicly available sources including the identification of contradicting information and classifications prepared by industry. These data are used for preparing a preliminary evaluation of the human health hazards according to “The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals” of all cargoes listed in the code. Results: To date, publicly available hazard information have been identified for most cargoes. From these, approximately two-thirds proved to be potentially hazardous to health when transported in bulk according to the MHB criteria. One third remained unclear. The limiting factors identified are: (1) the insufficient specified chemical composition of cargo entries in the code due to their vague regulatory definition, (2) a lack of publicly available reports and (3) contradicting hazard information for seemingly identical products. Conclusion: Any international legal classification of solid bulks will need an international scientific clearing house for managing and evaluating confidential company reports, safety and toxicological studies like already established for bulk liquid cargoes.