Your examiner asks: "What is liquefaction, and what is the Transportable Moisture Limit (TML)?"

A. Liquefaction is the process by which a Group A solid bulk cargo (e.g. certain mineral concentrates, some coals/iron ore fines) behaves like a fluid under the vibration and motion of the ship once its moisture content exceeds a critical level, allowing the cargo to shift suddenly and severely affecting stability — sometimes catastrophically. The TML is the maximum moisture content at which the cargo is considered safe for carriage; the actual Moisture Content (MC) must be certified by the shipper as being below the TML before loading.

B. Liquefaction only affects liquid cargoes carried in bulk tanks, not solid bulk cargoes, and has no relevance to IMSBC.

C. TML is the minimum moisture content required for safe carriage; cargo below the TML is considered unsafe and must be rejected.

D. Liquefaction is a chemical reaction between two different cargoes loaded in adjacent holds, unrelated to moisture content.

A. Group A: cargoes that may liquefy if carried at a moisture content exceeding their Transportable Moisture Limit (TML). Group B: cargoes that possess a chemical hazard which could give rise to a dangerous situation (e.g. self-heating, toxic, flammable). Group C: cargoes not liable to liquefy (Group A hazard) and not possessing chemical hazards (Group B hazard), though they may still have other physical hazards. Some cargoes can fall into more than one group simultaneously (e.g. both A and B).

B. The IMSBC Code uses the same Class 1-9 numbering system as the IMDG Code, with no separate A/B/C grouping.

C. There are only two categories: hazardous and non-hazardous, with no further sub-classification.

D. Group A cargoes are chemical-hazard cargoes; Group B cargoes are liquefaction-risk cargoes — the definitions are the reverse of common usage.

A. A shipper's declaration of the cargo's properties (including any chemical hazards relevant to Group B classification, such as self-heating or methane generation for coal), a signed certificate of the Transportable Moisture Limit, and a signed certificate of the actual Moisture Content at the time of shipment — all of which the Master/OOW should review and retain before agreeing to load.

B. No documentation is required for coal cargo specifically, since it is a long-established bulk trade.

C. Only a bill of lading is required; TML and moisture content certification apply only to mineral concentrates, not coal.

D. The shipper's declaration covers quantity and price only; moisture/TML certification is the receiving port's responsibility, not the shipper's.