Inland Tank-Barge Safety Guide Second Edition, updated July 2026, released in five languages

OCIMF and the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR) have published the second edition, updated July 2026, of the International Safety Guide for Inland Navigation Tank-barges and Terminals (ISGINTT), making the industry reference guide available simultaneously in English, French, German, Dutch and Portuguese.

ISGINTT provides recommendations for the safe handling and transport of crude oils, petroleum products, chemicals and liquefied gases as well as guidance on the interface between inland tank-barges and other vessels or terminals. It is compatible with related international maritime guidance for seagoing vessels, such as the International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT). While it is not intended to replace or amend existing legal requirements, it provides additional best-practice recommendations to support safe operations.

Publishing the updated guide simultaneously in five languages reflects a shared commitment by OCIMF and CCNR to ensure industry guidance remains both current and accessible to the people who use it. The updated guide is now available in English, French, German, Dutch and Portuguese, with a Spanish translation planned for release at a later date.

Recognized by OCIMF and CCNR as the principal industry reference manual for inland tank-barge and terminal operations, ISGINTT supports the continued improvement of safety performance and environmental protection across the inland navigation sector. The updated edition also reflects the organizations’ ongoing commitment to ensuring industry guidance evolves alongside changes in operational practices, technology and regulation.

Don Davis, Managing Director of OCIMF, said:

“ISGINTT only works if the people using it can fully understand and apply its guidance in the language they work in every day. That is why this updated edition is being released simultaneously in five languages, with additional translations planned.”

"This revision is about ensuring the industry's leading safety guidance remains accessible, relevant and practical for the people who rely on it. Keeping the guidance up to date and accessible are fundamental elements of our commitment to safer operations.”

Hester Duursema, Secretary General of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR), said:

“Safety and environmental performance are strengthened not only through regulation, but also through the sharing of good practice and the commitment of the people working across the inland navigation sector. After more than 10 years of hard work, this updated version of the second edition of ISGINTT reflects the collective efforts of industry and regulators to strengthen safety across the inland navigation sector. ISGINTT provides practical guidance to support safe and efficient operations throughout the sector, and we are pleased to make this updated edition available in multiple languages and encourage its widespread use.”

The updated version maintains the guide's established structure while reinforcing the importance of risk awareness and the role of people and Human Factors in maintaining safe operations.