Transport of Dangerous Goods

Just in time, EIGA achieves to obtain transitional measures for portable tanks in the UN Model Regulations.

During the entire week of daily meetings in the United Nations’ buildings in Geneva, the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods reviewed tens of formal and informal papers, with the aim to accept new proposals and assess proposed changes to the existing Regulations.

It’s a tedious work requiring careful pre-work per paper in the WG1 Transport. With these preparations and industry positions on the different matters, the EIGA representative has then the challenge to explain and defend our interest. Being with nearly 200 experts of competent authorities and other industries (rail, sea, air transport) one can easily imagine that discussions on every single detail can take very long.

Amongst all this, EIGA and the Spanish and American delegations realised that the previous adopted papers on the introduction of new words on tank plates of portable tanks, did result in the need for new tank plates of existing tanks. New tank plates are needed because there is insufficient space for these new words, but it takes a lot of work and cost to have installed new plates and re-approved by a notified body. This means that with no added-value for safety, there is a great burden for companies.

Overnight, EIGA with great help of the Chair of WG1, drafted an informal paper, which was accepted by the grace of the Chair to be discussed in the plenary meeting.

One should know that informal paper proposals do not need to be discussed and can certainly not be subject for adoption as change to the model regulations.

Still, as we were only asking for transitional measures, which do not affect safety and because this end of the year was the deadline for such, with the help of the above delegations and the Chair, EIGA not only got their measures adopted for implementation in the coming Regulations edition, but we also even negotiated a longer date for exempting existing portable tanks to receive a new tank plate.

Overall, a nice achievement, only possible through true teamwork!