Charcoal has been linked to several serious fires on container vessels—mainly because it hasn’t always been declared correctly or handled safely. To reduce the risk, the IMO is updating the IMDG Code, and new rules will apply from 2025.
Here’s what shippers need to know:
1. Charcoal Must Be Declared as Dangerous Goods
From 2025, all charcoal must be treated as Dangerous Goods.
No exceptions, no exemptions — Special Provisions 925 and 223 are gone, and a new provision, SP 978, now applies.
This means more detailed documentation and stricter compliance.
2. Mandatory Treatment Before Packing
Before charcoal can be packed, it must go through:
- A weathering process after production, or
- A specific treatment after pyrolysis
Unless an alternative method has been officially approved by the competent authority.
3. Temperature Limits
On the day it’s packed, the charcoal must be 40°C or below.
Packaging requirements have also been updated, and loose/bulk charcoal in containers is still banned.
4. New Stowage Rules Inside Containers
A few key spacing rules now apply:
- Leave 30 cm clearance between the cargo and the top of the container.
- Two stowage options:
- Keep the stack height under 1.5 m, or
- Use blocks up to 16 m³, with at least 15 cm between each block.
(Some carriers may have their own approval steps, so coordination is recommended.)
Shipments with Charcoal must be loaded into UN-approved and certified packaging and the requirements for marking, labelling and placarding of packages and containers apply. Partner lines and feeder operators might introduce this even earlier.