Chemical Distribution Institute

What it is

CDI's own home page (cdim.org/psp/cdim.wp_home), opened in a real browser on 2026-09-02, states, verbatim: "The CDI is incorporated under the law of the Netherlands as the Stichting Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI) and operates as a non-profit making foundation." Its About page opens the same sentence differently, verbatim: "The CDI is a chemical industry organization, incorporated under the law of the Netherlands as the Stichting Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI) and operates as a non-profit making foundation."

The home page states, verbatim: "CDI is responsible for the inspection and audit of the global supply chain for the transport and storage of bulk and packaged chemicals." It adds, verbatim: "CDI is not a trade association; it is non-profit, non-commercial and free from political influence."

On its origin the home page states, verbatim: "CDI was created by the chemical manufacturing industry, for the chemical industry in 1994 and over the years has gone from strength to strength."

The decisive sentence on what a CDI report is comes from CDI itself. Its inspection-process page states, verbatim: "Inspection reports do not attempt to "pass or fail", but rather to give an assessment of compliance at the time of the inspection as measured against internationally accepted standards."

The questionnaires are built for comparability. The inspection-process page states, verbatim: "Phrasing of questions so that response can only be Yes/ No/ Not Applicable to enable rapid and simple report analysis." and "There are no regional variations of CDI questionnaires; they provide globally consistent data for application in the methodology of risk assessment."

The schemes are separate and booked differently. That page states, verbatim: "CDI-M Ship Inspections can only be secured through the CDI Marine Inspection Department." and "CDI-T Terminal Inspections can be arranged directly with the terminal inspectors."

The public half and the members' half are different things. CDI's purpose, governance, inspection process and report philosophy are all published on its own pages, while the platform's data sits behind a login (List of Members, HVPQ & SID Editor, Request Inspection). This record rests only on the public pages.

Who owns it

The Stichting Chemical Distribution Institute, a foundation incorporated under Netherlands law, owns and runs the schemes, in its own words "non-profit, non-commercial and free from political influence".

On governance, its own pages state, verbatim: "CDI is managed by a Board of Directors consisting of seven individuals nominated by the participating chemical companies." and "Individual Executive Boards are elected to oversee and direct the staff managing day to day activities for the Marine, Terminals and Marine Packed Cargo Schemes."

Who assesses it

The accreditation here belongs to the people, not to the inspected ship or terminal. CDI's inspection-process page states, verbatim: "Inspectors are independent professionals accredited by CDI. All inspectors hold Class I marine certificates or equivalent academic qualifications for the industry sector."

It adds, verbatim: "Accreditation is the responsibility of the Accreditation Committees and the accreditation remains the property of CDI and can be revoked at any time".