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Key Mandatory Amendments Adopted
(Expected Entry into Force: January 1, 2028)
- SOLAS Chapters IV & V (Mobile Satellite Services): Clarified that Maritime Safety Information (MSI) and Search and Rescue (SAR) communications must be disseminated through all operational Recognized Mobile Satellite Services (RMSS), explicitly incorporating both Inmarsat and Iridium.
- SOLAS Chapter V & HSC Codes (VHF Data Exchange System - VDES): Allowed the voluntary installation of VDES as a modern digital communication alternative/extension to the traditional Automatic Identification System (AIS).
- 2011 ESP Code (Remote Inspection Techniques): Formally incorporated Remote Inspection Techniques (RITs)—such as drones and ROVs—for close-up structural surveys on bulk carriers and oil tankers without requiring direct physical access by the surveyor.
- IP Code (Personnel Mass for Stability): Standardized the assumed mass per industrial person (including PPE) from 75 kg to 90 kg for ship stability calculations, aligning it with the High-Speed Craft (HSC) Code.
- LSA Code & Resolution MSC.402(96) (Free-Fall Lifeboats): Introduced structural and testing requirements for simulation equipment (e.g., wires, chains) used to test free-fall lifeboat release gear under load without launching into the water.
- 1988 Load Lines Protocol (Guard Rails): Revised Regulation 25 to mandate three-course guard rails (or tightened detachable chains) on exposed decks, restricting lower opening gaps to a maximum of 230
- IMDG Code (Amendment 43-26): Updated safety rules for transporting batteries and clarified safety criteria for carrying electric vehicles (EVs) onboard.
Major Non-Mandatory Codes & Guidelines Approved/Adopted
- Adoption of the MASS Code: Finalized and adopted the non-mandatory International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code), establishing goal-based safety, operational, and security standards for remotely controlled and autonomous vessels.
- IGC Code Modernization: Approved draft amendments to multiple chapters (1–5, 8–13, 15–19) of the IGC Code addressing cargo filling limits, using alternative gas cargoes as fuel, and specific safety rules for transporting carbon dioxide.
- Interim Guidelines for Alternative Fuels: Approved comprehensive safety guidelines for ships utilizing Hydrogen as fuel and ships using Ammonia cargo as fuel.
- Safe Return to Port (SRtP): Approved updated explanatory notes to harmonize the SRtP application for passenger vessels.