Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)

Health and safety of the seafarers and environmental protection

The IHM log file is increasingly recognized to enhance onboard safety and environmental awareness, both throughout the vessel’s active, economic life at sea and when the vessel is being prepared for recycling.

With the continuously updated IHM in accordance with the Material Declaration (MD) and Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC), the crew in charge of removing hazardous material reduces the risk of direct contact with the list of substances and serious injuries.

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Cornerstones of the IHM

IHM is a structured system to control hazardous materials on board ships and achieve compliance with the EU Ship Recycling Regulations (EU SRR) and Hong Kong Convention (HKC) for the safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of ships.

Since December 31, 2020, any ship which is 500 GT or over, regardless of flag, requires valid and certified IHM on board when calling into any EU-port or anchorage. Non-EU flagged vessels can also be certified against EU SRR by complying with the HKC IHM requirements.

Requirements of the Regulation

The Regulation (EU SRR) requires proper maintenance and update of the IHM throughout the operational life of ships. To meet the requirements, we have reviewed and classified our portfolio of products with potential hazardous materials. This helps to ease regulatory compliance, as well as to simplify the shipowner’s preparation of the IHM log and report.

The inventory log of hazardous materials on board needs to contain items that are fixed to the vessel (welded, bolted, riveted or cemented). Steel and alloys (steel, aluminium, brasses, bronzes, plating and solders) are excluded from the regulations.

Our service

Both Hong Kong Convention and EU Regulation has the shipowner as the obligating party. However, as a supplier, we provide the Material Declaration (MD) and Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) for any delivered components or equipment as a service.

As a supplier, we have to be sure, if delivered components or equipment contain hazardous materials or not. We therefore strive to reduce or completely avoid the potential hazardous materials in all items supplied. Though, important to note that the regulation does not strive to completely remove these substances, but that the shipowner is obligated to keep an inventory log on where such hazardous materials can be found.