Introduction

Abstract

The history of the carriage of dangerous goods by sea is as old as mankind itself. The dangers inherent in the carriage of such goods have grown with the passage of time and the development of new technologies. In the days of the sailing vessel, the hazards of the sea were so great, due to the smallness of the ship, that the danger to the cargo alone was negligible. In many cases, the operator of the ship was either unaware that he was carrying dangerous goods or was transporting a single commodity and had taken the necessary precautions. The only dangerous goods were rum, brandy and gunpowder. They were dangerous not by virtue of the substance but the combination. Although it might have been slightly uncomfortable to be near an exploding gunpowder cargo, the danger was rather limited.