國際海事組織海事安全委員會依據國際海上人命安全公約（SOLAS）及其議定書， 制定採用的國際船舶使用氣體或其他低閃點燃料安全章程（IGF 章程），並將賦予強制 性。依據SOLAS 第 II-2 章第4.2.1 條款規定，限制船舶燃料的閃點不得低於60℃，以 及IGC 章程第16 章的規定，不包括液化天然氣作為燃料。而今使用天然氣作為燃料， 特別是液化天然氣（LNG），近年來，由於較低的硫和微粒的排放比燃料油或船用柴油 增加。但是，由於天然氣和其他低閃點燃油有其安全挑戰，需要進行適當的管理。在IGF 章程的目的是考慮到所涉及的燃料的性質，應盡量減少對船舶，船員和環境產生衝擊。

The MSC of IMO adopted the International Code of Safety for Ships using Gases or other Low-flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), along with amendments to make the Code mandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). Due to the SOLAS II-2 regulation 4.2.1 limits the flashpoint of fuels to 60ºC or higher and the IGC code does not cover LNG as fuel, the use of gas as fuel, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG), has increased in recent years due to lower sulphur and particulate emissions than fuel oil or marine diesel oil. But gas and other low-flashpoint fuels pose their own set of safety challenges, which need to be properly managed. The IGF Code aims to minimize the risk to the ship, its crew and the environment, having regard to the nature of the fuels involved.