The International Foundation for Chemical Logistics (IFCL) is an international organisation that focuses on improving safety, knowledge and professional standards within chemical logistics. Its activities cover the transport, handling and storage of chemicals and dangerous goods, with particular attention to practical safety standards, professional competence and the international exchange of knowledge. Through the development of IFCL Standards and Best Safety Practices, the organisation aims to make experience and technical knowledge available to companies and professionals operating throughout the chemical supply chain.
Chemical logistics is an international activity by definition. Chemicals may be manufactured in one country, packaged or processed in another and transported through several jurisdictions before reaching a warehouse or end user. The legislation and technical requirements encountered along that route can differ considerably, while the underlying hazards remain largely the same. Flammable liquids still require effective ignition control, incompatible chemicals must be kept apart and loss of containment can result in consequences for employees, the environment and surrounding communities regardless of the country in which an operation takes place. IFCL therefore concentrates on safety issues that are relevant internationally and on practical methods that can complement existing regulatory requirements.
Why was IFCL established?
IFCL was established in 2021 with the objective of contributing to a safer chemical logistics industry. One of the reasons for establishing the organisation was the observation that a great deal of safety knowledge already exists within companies, industry organisations and individual countries, but that this knowledge is not always easily accessible internationally. A solution developed by an experienced chemical warehouse in one country, for example, may also be useful for operators elsewhere, even though their national regulations are different.
The same applies to lessons learned from incidents, audits, risk assessments and operational experience. Chemical producers, warehouse operators, transport companies and safety specialists continuously develop measures to reduce risks, but useful solutions can remain within an individual organisation or national network. IFCL provides a structure through which this knowledge can be developed into standards and Best Safety Practices that can be used by a wider international audience.
The intention is not to create an alternative regulatory system. National legislation and international dangerous goods regulations remain applicable and companies must always determine which legal requirements apply to their activities. IFCL Standards are intended to complement these requirements by providing practical frameworks and recognised safety practices that organisations can use when assessing and improving their operations.
What does IFCL do?
A significant part of IFCL’s work concerns the development of international standards for chemical logistics. These standards address specific activities or risks and translate technical knowledge and operational experience into structured frameworks. Subjects include the storage of packaged dangerous substances, the loading and unloading of chemical tankers, Safety Management Systems, lithium-ion battery safety, hydrogen and the competence of personnel working with dangerous substances.
This practical approach is important because chemical logistics safety involves considerably more than written procedures. The design of a warehouse, the location of dangerous substances, compatibility between products, fire protection systems, inspection and maintenance, employee competence and preparations for emergencies all influence the eventual level of safety. The same principle applies to transport-related activities. A tanker loading operation may be supported by extensive procedures, but safe operation ultimately also depends on suitable equipment, correct connections, communication between the parties involved and employees who understand both the operation and the hazards of the substances being transferred.
IFCL Standards therefore look at combinations of technical, organisational and human measures rather than considering individual requirements in isolation.
IFCL Standards for chemical logistics
The growing collection of IFCL Standards covers several important areas of chemical logistics. IFCL 8010:2023, for example, addresses Safety Management Systems for chemical logistics storage facilities. A structured Safety Management System helps organisations identify responsibilities, manage risks, monitor performance and establish a process of continuous improvement rather than treating safety as a collection of separate procedures.
IFCL 1200:2024 focuses on the safe loading and unloading of chemical and dangerous goods tankers. These activities involve an interface between the transport vehicle and the receiving or loading installation and therefore require clear responsibilities, suitable equipment and well-controlled working procedures. Mistakes during product transfer can lead to spills, exposure, overfilling, incorrect connections or other serious incidents, making loading and unloading an important area of chemical logistics safety.
The increasing transport and storage of alternative energy carriers has also resulted in new areas of attention. IFCL 5700:2024 addresses safety and emergency response relating to lithium-ion batteries, while IFCL 8500:2024 focuses on hydrogen safety in transport and storage. Both subjects illustrate how developments in technology and energy systems create new requirements for logistics organisations, warehouses and emergency responders.
Training and professional competence are addressed through IFCL 5051:2025, which concerns training requirements associated with the storage of packaged dangerous substances and requirements for organisations providing this training. Employees working in chemical logistics need sufficient knowledge to recognise hazards and understand the measures relevant to their own activities, which makes competence an essential part of effective risk control.
Another important development is IFCL 5050, the International Standard for the Storage of Packaged Dangerous Substances. This standard provides a broad framework for the safe storage of packaged dangerous substances and covers subjects such as hazard identification, chemical compatibility, segregation, warehouse design, fire prevention and protection, spill control, environmental protection, operational procedures, inspection, maintenance, emergency preparedness and employee competence. The intention is to provide an internationally usable reference for organisations seeking to assess and improve safety within chemical warehouses.
Why chemical logistics requires a specialised approach
Chemical logistics differs from general logistics because the physical and chemical properties of the products influence almost every stage of the operation. Flammable, corrosive, toxic, oxidising or environmentally hazardous substances cannot always be handled and stored in the same way as ordinary goods. Certain products may react dangerously when mixed, while others require specific temperature conditions, ventilation, containment or fire protection measures.
This means that decisions that appear to be primarily logistical can also become safety decisions. The position of products within a warehouse can determine whether incompatible substances are sufficiently separated. The design of a loading area can influence the consequences of a spill. The way returned or damaged batteries are handled can affect the likelihood that a developing thermal event spreads to other goods. Even seemingly simple matters such as housekeeping, inspection intervals and the availability of current product information can influence the outcome of an incident.
For that reason, chemical logistics combines elements of dangerous goods regulations, occupational safety, environmental protection, fire safety, process safety, chemistry and emergency preparedness. IFCL’s standards and knowledge activities are intended to bring these disciplines together in a way that reflects how chemical logistics actually operates.
The relationship between IFCL Standards and legislation
IFCL Standards do not replace legislation. Organisations remain responsible for identifying and complying with the national and international requirements applicable to their operations. These can include dangerous goods transport regulations such as ADR, RID, the IMDG Code or ICAO/IATA requirements, as well as national legislation concerning occupational safety, environmental protection, fire safety, major accident hazards and the storage of dangerous substances.
The regulatory environment can differ substantially between countries, which makes it difficult to establish a single international legal approach to chemical warehousing or other logistics activities. An IFCL Standard can nevertheless provide a common technical and organisational reference. An international company operating warehouses in several countries, for example, can use such a framework to compare safety arrangements between its facilities while continuing to comply with the specific legislation applicable at each location.
This also means that an IFCL Standard can address areas where legislation specifies an objective but leaves organisations some freedom in determining how that objective should be achieved. Practical experience from industry can then help identify measures that have proven effective in comparable situations.
Best Safety Practices and sharing practical knowledge
Alongside formal standards, IFCL supports the collection and sharing of Best Safety Practices. This approach recognises that valuable safety knowledge is often developed directly within industrial and logistics operations. Companies introduce technical improvements, adapt procedures following incidents, develop new inspection methods or find practical ways to reduce risks that may also be relevant to other organisations.
The Best Safety Practices initiative provides a means of making such experience more widely available. The initiative has involved cooperation between IFCL, the Dutch Association for Chemical Logistics (VNCW), industry and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). By collecting practical measures and making them accessible to a broader audience, the initiative supports an industry in which organisations can learn not only from regulations and standards but also from solutions already applied in practice.
This exchange of experience is particularly valuable internationally. National requirements may differ, but many operational problems are comparable. A successful measure for controlling spills, improving warehouse inspections or reducing loading errors may therefore be useful in several countries, provided that local circumstances and legislation are also taken into account.
Who can use IFCL knowledge and standards?
IFCL Standards and publications are relevant to organisations throughout the chemical supply chain, including chemical manufacturers, warehouse operators, logistics service providers, transport companies, tanker loading facilities and companies handling dangerous goods as part of their normal operations. They can also be useful to dangerous goods safety advisers, safety professionals, consultants, auditors, training organisations, emergency response specialists and other professionals involved in assessing or managing chemical logistics risks.
Which standards are relevant depends on the activities of the organisation. A warehouse storing packaged dangerous substances will have different priorities from a tanker loading terminal, while a logistics company handling lithium-ion batteries may need to consider risks that are less significant in conventional chemical storage. The common element is the systematic identification of hazards and the selection of suitable technical, organisational and human controls.
For larger international organisations, the standards can also provide a common reference between locations. Facilities can be assessed against the same general principles even when they operate under different national regulations. This makes it easier to identify differences in safety performance, exchange effective measures between sites and work towards a more consistent level of protection throughout an international supply chain.
International cooperation and continuous development
International cooperation is an important part of the IFCL approach because standards for chemical logistics need input from people who understand the activities they address. Warehouse operators, dangerous goods specialists, engineers, trainers, emergency responders and other technical experts can contribute different perspectives to the same safety issue. Country representatives can additionally provide information about local legislation, practices and developments, making it possible to compare approaches between jurisdictions.
This becomes increasingly relevant as chemical logistics changes. The growth of lithium-ion battery logistics, hydrogen applications, warehouse automation and alternative energy systems creates situations that were less prominent only a few years ago. At the same time, traditional hazards such as fires, chemical incompatibility, loss of containment, equipment failures and human error continue to require effective controls. Standards and Best Safety Practices therefore need to develop alongside changes in technology and operational experience.
The purpose of international cooperation is not to make every chemical logistics operation identical. Local legislation, infrastructure, climate, emergency services and operational circumstances will always influence how risks need to be managed. The value of an international framework lies instead in creating a common body of knowledge from which organisations can select and develop appropriate solutions.
The role of IFCL in safer chemical logistics
The International Foundation for Chemical Logistics brings together standards, technical knowledge and practical experience with the objective of improving safety throughout the chemical supply chain. Through IFCL Standards, Best Safety Practices, professional competence initiatives and international cooperation, the organisation provides companies and professionals with additional tools for assessing and improving the way chemicals and dangerous goods are transported, handled and stored.
As chemical supply chains become more international, the ability to share safety knowledge across company and national boundaries becomes increasingly important. A lesson learned in one warehouse, loading installation or logistics organisation can have considerably greater value when other organisations can use that experience to prevent similar problems. IFCL aims to facilitate this exchange while providing structured international standards for areas in which a common safety reference can add value.
For organisations involved in chemical logistics, this creates a practical link between legislation, technical standards and operational experience. The ultimate objective is not simply greater standardisation, but a measurable contribution to safer chemical logistics worldwide.
Frequently asked questions about IFCL
What does IFCL stand for?
IFCL stands for International Foundation for Chemical Logistics. The organisation focuses on international cooperation, standards, knowledge and safety practices for the transport, handling and storage of chemicals and dangerous goods.
What is the purpose of IFCL?
IFCL aims to contribute to safer chemical logistics by developing international standards, promoting Best Safety Practices, supporting professional competence and facilitating the exchange of safety knowledge between organisations and countries.
What are IFCL Standards?
IFCL Standards are technical and organisational frameworks covering specific aspects of chemical logistics. Existing subjects include dangerous goods storage, tanker loading and unloading, Safety Management Systems, lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen safety and training for personnel involved in the storage of packaged dangerous substances.
Are IFCL Standards legally mandatory?
IFCL Standards do not replace applicable legislation. Companies must continue to comply with all national and international legal requirements relevant to their activities. An IFCL Standard can be used as an additional framework for assessing risks, implementing good practices and improving safety performance.
What is IFCL 5050?
IFCL 5050 is the International Standard for the Storage of Packaged Dangerous Substances. It provides an international framework addressing areas such as chemical compatibility, segregation, warehouse design, fire safety, spill control, operations, inspection, emergency preparedness, training and safety management.
Who can use IFCL Standards?
The standards can be used by chemical manufacturers, warehouse operators, logistics providers, transport companies, dangerous goods professionals, safety specialists, consultants, auditors, training providers and other organisations involved in chemical logistics.
How can companies and professionals contribute to IFCL?
Companies and professionals can contribute practical knowledge, technical expertise and Best Safety Practices and can participate in the development and review of standards. Sharing operational experience helps ensure that international guidance remains connected to the actual challenges encountered within chemical logistics.