IGF Code (2016 Edition)

The purpose of this code is to provide an international standard for ships using low flashpoint fuel, other than ships covered by the IGC Code. The basic philosophy of this code is to provide mandatory provisions for the arrangement, installation, control and monitoring of machinery, equipment and systems using low flashpoint fuel to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and the environment, having regard to the nature of the fuels involved.

The International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code) was adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its ninety-fifth session in June 2015, by resolution MSC.391(95), in order to provide an international standard for the safety for ships using low-flashpoint fuel, other than ships covered by the IGC Code. The IGF Code is made mandatory under amendments to chapters II -1, II -2 and the appendix to the annex of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Seas (SOLAS), 1974, that were adopted by the MSC at the same session, by resolution MSC392(95) (entry into force: 1 January 2017).

 The adoption of the IGF Code was the culmination of over 10 years of work by several IMO bodies, starting with the approval by MSC78 (May 2004) of a work item on “Development of provisions for gas-fuelled ships”. Following the adoption by MSC86 (June 2009) of the Interim Guidelines on safety for natural gas-fuelled engine installations in ships (resolution MSC.285(86)), MSC 87 approved the expansion of the scope of the work on development of provisions for gas-fuelled ships to include ships fuelled by low-flashpoint liquid fuels. The present version of the IGF Code includes regulations to meet the functional requirements for natural gas fuel. Regulations for other low-flashpoint fuels will be added as, and when, they are developed by the Organization.