When carrying a Group A cargo, the IMSBC Code requires the shipper to provide the Master of the vessel with a cargo declaration and show the cargo is safe for carriage by testing representative samples using approved test procedures in a laboratory.

However, in some trades these declarations and laboratory test result certificates are not always reliable. So, how can the crew help protect themselves?

There is a test that can provide an early warning of a cargo’s potential to liquefy, and when carried out properly can save lives – the ‘Can Test’.