This 2 volume set is published at the end of 2018 for implementation from 2019 with a one year transitional period.

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code is the standard guide to all aspects of handling dangerous goods and marine pollutants in sea transport. The Code lays down basic principles: detailed recommendations for individual substances, materials and articles, and a number of recommendations for good operational practice, including advice on terminology, packing, labelling, stowage, segregation and handling, and emergency response action.

Many maritime countries have taken steps to regulate the carriage of dangerous goods by sea, based on the safety considerations set out by the 1974 SOLAS Convention. More recently, as marine pollution has become a serious concern, countries have taken further steps to regulate the carriage of marine pollutants, as described in Annex III of MARPOL.

The IMDG Code has undergone many changes over the years, in both format and content, in order to keep up with the rapid expansion of the shipping industry. Amendment 38-16 includes revisions to various sections of the Code and to transport requirements for specific substances. It was adopted by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its ninety-sixth session in May 2016.

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