IMO Experts Meeting
PPR Technical Group
The 32nd session of the PPR Technical Group on the Evaluation of Safety and Pollution Hazards of Chemicals (ESPH 32) was held from 12 to 16 October at IMO headquarters, London.
Some headline points for our members include:
- 37 new or revised products evaluated at this session, nine of them solely for the assignment of IBC special requirement 16.2.7: the mandatory prewash for products with high-viscosity or high melting point in the specific geographical areas of North West and Western European waters, British Isles, the Baltic and Norwegian sea.
- The MEPC.2/Circ.32 Provisional categorization of liquid substances in accordance with MARPOL Annex II and the IBC Code was finalised and will be published 1st December.
- A proposal for strengthening the provisions of temperature monitoring for cargoes with added inhibitors e.g., Styrene monomer, was progressed, with a view to be finalised at next session.
- The Group agreed to forward the Amendments to chapters 17, 18 and 19 of the IBC to the PPR Sub-Committee, for submission to MSC 113 and MEPC 86, for approval and subsequent adoption.
- The Group continued the work on Amendments to MARPOL Annex II to improve effectiveness of cargo tank stripping, washing and prewash procedures for products with high melting point or high viscosity. Two documents were introduced at this session, with further work needed to refine suitable text and procedures regarding the prewash of “16.2.7” products. An informal group will continue working intersessionally on this matter.
The Nautical Institute was represented by Captain Carlo F Trombetta AFNI.