The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Regulations (IMDG CODE) was promulgated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to protect the crew and reduce marine pollution by ensuring the safety of the transportation of dangerous goods by sea. When formulating relevant domestic regulations, each member country can also learn from the relevant chapters of IMDG, and can change the relevant clauses according to the specific domestic conditions.

The regulations require all member states of the Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78) to enforce IMDG regulations. The regulations are not limited to the use of sailors. All shipping-related industrial and shipping service personnel may use some of the regulations. The regulations are composed of: technical terms, packaging, labels, signage, marking, stowage, isolation, handling and emergency response. The International Maritime Organization revises the IMDG CODE every two years.