International Maritime Fumigation Organization (IMFO)

Degesch America, Inc. is proud to be a member of IMFO

About IMFO
 

History

"The IMFO Group was formed in 1994 by four companies based in Denmark, France, Spain and the UK who were all involved in ship fumigation. Starting right from the next year the organization started growing steadily admitting up to three new members almost every year.

From the very beginning the IMFO Group was demonstrating the intention to act world-widely and accept national fumigation companies from all regions of the world provided they performed services according to high-quality standards.

The organization exceeded the bounds of Western Europe on the second year of its existence having admitted members from Latin America and the USA. In 1996 IMFO came to Asia and Africa granting membership to fumigation companies in India and South Africa. The same year Canada joined the Group. Later on New Zealand and Ukraine followed.

1999 was also a breakthrough reinforcing IMFO with members from Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Slovenia. The new millennium was marked by acceptance of new members from Turkey, Italy, Argentina, Egypt, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia and Brazil.

There are no limits for the acceptance of new members to IMFO Group except for one limitation that the member of IMFO can only be a national fumigation company. And though IMFO’s main objective is to improve standards of maritime fumigation, the members of the Group also perform a wide variety of other fumigation services. All IMFO member-companies have combined their efforts to provide expertise and specialist teams to the international cereals and commodity traders.

The organization is currently run and administered by the Board of Directors, Chairman and General Manager. Members and directors are in constant contact with each other.

All IMFO member-companies enjoy the advantages of acting as an international group or one international fumigation company making the voice of each member heard all over the world. Among the advantages of being a part of international organization is the access to the best technical data and procedures from across the world, as well as the opportunity to market your services to international shippers with the knowledge that you have reliable and trustworthy partners in other parts of the world allowing you to propose a more comprehensive and guaranteed treatment.

The IMFO approach to in-transit fumigation is in strict compliance with the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations. Today it is almost impossible for one fumigation organization to meet all requirements of quarantines at load and discharge ports and safety standards without a proper data base and assistance from the receiving party. The members of IMFO Group in many countries of the world provide each other with the necessary assistance and consultation this way placing at our clients’ disposal cost effective service of fumigation at load port with ventilation at discharge port and full warranty.
 

Idea

The International Maritime Fumigation Organization came into existence because marine fumigation or fumigation continued in transit is perhaps several times more complex than what we know as classic inland fumigation of silos and all kinds of static premises.

Fumigation can be most generally defined as the action of releasing and dispersing a toxic chemical that reaches a targeted pest in the gaseous state. The goal of fumigation is to confine enough gas for sufficient time to eradicate the target pest, which in normal conditions is achieved in a static chamber under control of one qualified fumigator, who is able to supervise and eliminate all related processes and possible hazards. Among them is control of the residue gas level, detection of possible leakages, properly performed degassing, etc.

Goods are also transported to other parts of the world, however they do not cease to be subject to fumigation. Fumigation in ships holds continued in transit is done with the purpose to prevent idle time of ships and avoid the related additional costs. Fumigation in transit became possible with use of Phosphine gas (Hydrogen Phosphide), the only fumigant allowed for this purpose by IMO Recommendations on the Safe Use of Pesticides in Ships (2002).

The introduction of fumigation in transit with use of Phosphine came in so smoothly into our life that traders, mariners and all other participants concerned seem to have barely noticed this effective innovation. Several decades ago, a load of grain being declared insect-infested, grain traders would have 3 options: to accept this certification of the load which would make it impossible to sell the grain, or offload the infested grain from the vessel, or otherwise to fumigate the infested grain on board the vessel in port. Today fumigation in transit with use of Phosphine gas has replaced those ineffective, hazardous and uncomfortable options.

The process of marine fumigation begins at load port, continues for definite time during voyage to destination and ends at discharge port. The fumigation team performs fumigation works upon completion of loading issuing the certificate of fumigation in transit, stating in it the name of the fumigant used, the dosage and the exposure time which should be strictly observed.

The effect of Phosphine fumigants is based on reaction with moisture in the air to produce Phosphine which is toxic to all forms of life however it is detectable by an odor of carbide, decaying fish or garlic and very easily and quickly can be aerated thanks to the gas being only slightly heavier than air. Phosphine gas has permissible norms of gas concentration to allow people be exposed to it at very low levels for up to 8 hours a day without hazards to health. As against Phosphine, fumigation with Methyl Bromide would require that the ship be cleared of the crew for the whole period of fumigation as this fumigant is more than three times as heavy as air, requiring electric blowers to aerate the gas, it is injurious to all forms of life and exposure to it should be avoided by people at all concentrations.

Besides the necessity of fumigant application in the port of loading, there might arise difficulties both during the voyage itself and at the port of discharge, as fumigation is only completed when the exposure time has elapsed and ventilation has been completed and a gas free certificate issued by a competent person. To provide for due safety and proper efficacy, this complicated workflow requires participation of at least three parties throughout all this period of time: fumigators at load port, mariners, and fumigators at discharge. Fumigators at the port of loading provide the vessel with the necessary safety instructions at voyage and fumigators at discharge shall control the degassing process providing for that the load meets all necessary standards of the receiving country.

With the aim to improve cooperation between all parties concerned and increase level of Safety and efficacy for marine fumigation in 1994 the International Maritime Fumigation Organization (IMFO) was founded.

Aims and objectives

The original objectives were:

	To develop common and improved standards of efficacy and safety for marine fumigation.
	To develop an international group of independent companies that would enable its members to provide the option of guaranteed fumigation to their customers, by controlling the fumigation at both load and discharge port.

 

	World-wide standards for the eradication of stored product insects in all stages of infestation by in-transit fumigation whether in bulk, bagged or containerized cargoes.
	World-wide coordinated service of efficient, safe, guaranteed results in accordance with the United Nations International Maritime Organizations (IMO) recommendations.

	Safety first: We work strictly in compliance with the United Nations recommendations and our more stringent requirements in high risks situations. We can arrange a guarantee of safety
	Efficiency: Our network of companies ensures that fumigation is controlled from load to discharge.
	Economy: With our range of treatment options, you can select a treatment to the level of guarantee you require: - Fumigation at load port - Fumigation at load port and ventilation at discharge port - Fumigation at load port and ventilation at discharge port including written discharge report and full warranty
	Availability: Our international perspective means we can arrange in-transit fumigation almost anywhere in the world.

Could infestation be discovered at discharge by the receiver?

Will the type of fumigation treatment/method be acceptable to quarantine or other regulatory authorities in both the exporting and importing country?

Could the fumigant be badly applied, resulting in excessive pesticide residue, damaged cargo and poor insect control?

Could unsafe procedures be used, resulting in illness, injury or death among the ship's crew or other workers?

Is the fumigation company you use adequately insured?