Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (SAFETY) (DANGEROUS GOODS AND MARINE POLLUTANTS) REGULATION - SECT 12

Marking and labelling

(1) Dangerous goods or marine pollutants which are contained in a package
shall not be taken on board a ship for carriage in that ship unless the
conditions in this section are satisfied.

(2) (a) Packages containing dangerous goods or marine  pollutants shall be
durably marked in accordance with the IMDG Code.

   (b)  Packages containing dangerous goods or marine pollutants shall be
        provided with labels or stencils of labels or placards where specified
        in the IMDG Code.

   (c)  The method of marking the correct technical name and of affixing
        labels or applying stencils of labels or placards on packages
        containing dangerous goods or marine pollutants shall be such that the
        information marked, affixed or applied will remain legible after the
        package has been immersed for 3 months in the sea or, if the package
        itself disintegrates before the end of that period, for as long as the
        package will last. Where the outer material of the package is such
        that it will not survive at least 3 months' immersion in the sea, any
        inner receptacles which will survive such immersion shall be
        durably marked with an indication of the nature of the danger to which
        the goods give rise, which indication may be given by any suitable
        means including (but not restricted to) an IMDG Code Class symbol or
        marine pollutant mark, or both, of an appropriate size.

   (d)  Without prejudice to the above requirements, where the goods are
        contained in a freight container, vehicle, portable tank or tank
        container, the cargo transport unit in which the goods are contained
        shall bear conspicuously on its exterior distinctive placards or other
        appropriate marking, in accordance with the IMDG Code.

(3) Any breach of the requirement of this section relating to the marking,
labelling or placarding of packaged goods shall be an offence on the part of
the shipper of those goods.

(4) A shipowner or master who accepts dangerous goods or marine  pollutants to
be taken on board a ship in any package which has not been marked and
labelled, or placarded as provided for in this section commits an offence.
(Enacted 1994)