The hazardous and/or polluting substances regulation for the port of Gent – known as the codex – is the implementation of articles 4.5.1, 4.5.2 and 4.5.3 of the applicable Algemene politieverordening (Gent). These articles state that hazardous and/or polluting substances may only be handled (i.e. shipped in, shipped out, unloaded, loaded, pumped, transhipped or held on board) in port of Gent after having first been reported via the electronic port information system ENIGMA+ to the harbourmaster's department.
Any sea-going or inland vessel arriving or departing with polluting substances, or having such substances on board, must report these substances to the port information system ENIGMA+.
All berths in the Gent port area have been assigned a berth category from A through D based on the distance between the berth in question and the nearest residential cluster.
The codex describes at which berth and under which conditions hazardous substances may be handled. The complete text of the regulation on hazardous and/or polluting substances can be found below.