Sulphur caution

The UK P&I Club has alerted its members to a string of cases involving poorly secured dangerous goods, in particular sulphur, exported from St Petersburg, Russia. The issue came to light as a result of an incident during transhipment in Hamburg of a cargo of UN 1350 sulphur in FIBCs from St Petersburg to Qingdao. As a result, other containers in the same booking were inspected and all were found to be inadequately packed and secured. Similar bookings were then examined in Rotterdam and Hamburg and found to have the same issues. The containers were re-packaged and stowed in accordance with the IMDG Code, with the costs charged to the carrier. The carrier has now ceased to do business with the shipper involved.