A tanker truck overturned in the middle of the vineyards, in Cognac, on 12/01/2021.

The Cognac transport ends up on its back, tires up in the air, in the vineyards.

Tanker Truck Flipped in the Cognac Vineyards

It's easy this morning to joke about this truck, upside down in the vineyards of Cognac!

First and foremost, I want to clarify that the driver is unharmed.

Tanker Truck Flips in Cognac

I don't know the contents of the tanker, but given the context, I like to imagine an entire vat of Cognac, turned over amidst the vines.

I sometimes report accidents, especially in Africa, where the population tries to collect a few liters of gasoline from an overturned truck, before it explodes, taking its toll of victims.

In this case, wouldn't you be tempted to draw off a few liters of Cognac... to lighten the tanker and facilitate the rescue work, of course!

Regulation on Transporting Alcoholic Beverages

1) Transport of alcoholic beverages with less than 24% alcohol by volume is not subject to regulations on the transport of dangerous goods.

2) For beverages between 24% and 70% alcohol, the "liquid" will be transported under UN code 3065, Class 3 (flammable liquids) but considered as low hazard (GE III).

- If the transport is carried out in containers not exceeding 250L, it will not be subject to ADR regulations.

So, if you've followed me correctly, UN code 3065 was created to ... exempt the transport of wine and spirits from ADR regulation. This would not be the case under UN code 1170 ETHYL ALCOHOL!

I exaggerate a bit... UN3065 is primarily used for tanker transport, where ADR regulations fully apply.

However, if you consider maritime transport of alcoholic beverages, in a container for example, UN1170 is more often used than UN 3065. Could it be just for customs reasons......

Meanwhile, the main advantage of UN3065 is to allow the transport of wines and spirits in wooden barrels, up to 500L. For a better aging! ADR, the guarantor of tannin, for the pleasure of our taste buds!

And for alcoholic beverages over 70%, still under UN3065 but in GE II, it becomes a disinfectant, not a drink!

CHAVANON Conseil assists you with all your shipments of wines, Champagne, Rum, and other Whiskies... For this type of dangerous goods, and only these, we can offer our product quality checks... Send us your 75cl samples!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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