Answer
The primary distinction between the SPS Code and the IP Code comes down to what the non-crew personnel are doing on board, where they perform their work, and the mandatory status of the regulation.
Core Difference at a Glance| Feature | SPS Code (Special Purpose Ships) | IP Code (Industrial Personnel) |
| Primary Focus | Personnel working on board the vessel itself. | Personnel transported to work on other offshore facilities. |
| Applicable IMO Instrument | 2008 SPS Code (Resolution MSC.266(84)). | SOLAS Chapter XV & IP Code (Res. MSC.527(106)). |
| Legal Status | Non-mandatory code (applied via Flag State adoption). | Mandatory international convention (enforced July 1, 2024). |
| Target Audience | Scientists, technicians, oceanographers, cable/pipe layers, survey crew. | Wind farm technicians, offshore rig/decommissioning workers. |
| Personnel Movement | Personnel remain onboard to perform tasks on the ship. | Personnel are transferred to/from offshore installations. |
| Key Added Focus | Specialized ship arrangement, equipment, & enhanced damage stability. | Personnel Transfer Systems, high-standard safety training, dangerous goods. |
Who are Special Personnel? Non-maritime workers engaged in specialized operations on board the vessel (e.g., scientists on research vessels, divers on dive-support ships, technicians on pipe/cable-laying ships).
Operational Scope: Addresses vessels where the primary mission is carried out by personnel on board the vessel. It expressly prohibits the vessel from acting as a pure "ferry" or accommodation vessel for workers who do not perform tasks on the ship itself.
Safety Threshold: Allows cargo-style ships carrying more than 12 special personnel to operate under safety standards higher than standard cargo ships (especially for subdivision and damage stability), without requiring full passenger-ship certification.
Who are Industrial Personnel? Personnel who are transported or accommodated on board for the purpose of carrying out offshore industrial activities elsewhere (e.g., offshore wind farm construction, maintenance, oil & gas platforms).
Operational Scope: Designed explicitly to address the risks associated with the transportation and personnel transfer of workers between ships and offshore structures (e.g., walk-to-work gangways, boat transfers).
Safety & Training Standards: Beyond ship construction, it enforces mandatory basic safety training, medical fitness, survival procedures, and ship-familiarization standards for the industrial personnel on board.