This Guide has been developed with the objective of promoting the industry’s ongoing commitment to providing safe working conditions of the vessel’s crew, protecting the marine environment and in recognition of the maritime community’s efforts, as a stake holder, assisting in the safe and environmentally sound recycling of vessels. The Guide includes information on inventorying hazardous materials on new or existing vessels, conducting verification surveys and the issuance and maintenance of the ABS notation IHM.

This Guide covers mainly the ABS requirements for the review and verification survey of Part I, the hazardous and potentially hazardous materials in a vessel’s structure and equipment as detailed in the Inventory. Parts II and III, covering the operationally generated waste and stores are not required to be completed and hence are not subject to review until a vessel is in the process of being prepared for recycling. However, see also 3/4.5.3.