What is the IGF Code, and what does its structure cover?
Short answer
| IGF Code chapter | Covers |
|---|---|
| 3 | goal and functional requirements, the goal-based core |
| 5 | ship design and arrangement: location and separation of tank, fuel-preparation room and piping |
| 6 | fuel containment: the tank (cryogenic for LNG, type C pressure tank for LPG) |
| 8 and 9 | bunkering; fuel supply with double-walled or ventilated piping, master gas valve, double-block-and-bleed |
| 11 to 14 | fire safety, explosion prevention, ventilation, Ex electrical equipment |
| 15 | control, monitoring and safety: gas detection, alarms, emergency shutdown (ESD) |
| 17 to 19 | drills, operation, training (STCW chapter V basic and advanced) |
- What: the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (MSC.391(95)), mandatory under SOLAS II-1 part G from 1 January 2017; for LNG, LPG or methanol as fuel.
- Purpose: safety equivalent to a conventional oil-fuelled ship, because gas fuels bring fire, explosion and toxicity risks that oil fuel does not.
- Philosophy: goal-based (chapter 3 goal and functional requirements, met by prescriptive rules or an approved alternative design) and double-barrier: no single failure releases gas to an ignition source.
- Structure: chapter 5 arrangement, 6 fuel containment, 8 bunkering, 9 fuel supply (double-walled piping, master gas valve, double-block-and-bleed), 11 fire safety, 12 explosion prevention, 13 ventilation, 14 electrical, 15 gas detection and ESD, 18 operation, 19 training.
- Training: STCW chapter V requires basic training for all and advanced training for those responsible for the fuel systems.
- As Chief Engineer: my touchpoints are bunkering, gas detection and ESD, and the operation of the installation; India: MS Act 2025 s.147.
Full answer
The full answer explains each point step by step, with the regulations and figures behind it and the discussion from other candidates. It is in the MEO Class I section of the Marine One forum, open to members enrolled for the MEO Class I exam.