On Jan 28, China’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) issued Opinions on Implementing Laws and Regulations to Strengthen Port Operation Safety Supervision of Hazardous Chemicals (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions") which outlines requirements on 9 aspects namely:
Safety assessment and completion and acceptance of facilities and construction projects
License of Hazchem operators at ports
Employee training and qualification
Supervision on safe operation of Hazchems
Management of major hazard installations
Site safety surveillance and investigation
Beefing up the supervisory and enforcement capacity of port safety administrations and utilizing IT system for recording filing and dynamic monitoring
Emergency management
Establishment of inter-departmental cooperation system of multiple administrations under local governments and across neighboring areas
While the Opinions has impact on various roles including governmental agencies, port corporations, other third party logistic service providers, etc., chemical companies are advised to know about the following regulatory details.
Enterprises are required to report the name, quantity, chemical and physical propertied, operating location and time, precautionary measures, etc. to the local port administration at least 24 hours before loading, unloading and lightering Hazchem cargoes for prior approval, without which any such operations are prohibited.
Freight containers containing Division 1.1 & 1.2 explosives in accordance with GB 6944 Classification and Code of Dangerous Goods and ammonium nitrate should depart as soon as possible when loading is completed and mustn’t be stored at port areas. Containers of other explosives, Class 2 gases and Class 7 radioactive materials can be stored in accredited stacking yards (assessed by third party and approved by competent authority) in specified quantity and time. Containers of flammable and explosive Hazchems can be stacked 2 high at most (only 2 stories are allowed) while other containers can be stacked 3 high at most. Meanwhile segregation should comply with JT 397 Safety Management Regulations for Port Dangerous Cargo Container to ensure fire department access roadways. Storage of Hazchems exceeding the designed capacity is severely prohibited.
Onboard inspections of hazard shipment are conducted by maritime safety administrations (MSA). Non-compliance with JT 672 Safety Specification for the Packing of Dangerous Cargo into Container by Marine Transport, Code of Practice for the Packing of Cargo Transport Units (IMO/ILO/UNECE) or related to stowage and isolation will be ordered for immediate correction and recorded.
