Imodocs IMO ORG

04/12/2025

IMO updates logo to reflect reinvigorated maritime future.

Read all about it here: https://tinyurl.com/5e8na8np

08/08/2024

🚢 Join EMSA's Ship Safety Officer Reserve Lists 🚢

EMSA is creating two reserve lists for dedicated Ship Safety Officers to join our team at the forefront of maritime safety. The unit concerned provides vital technical assistance on ship safety, marine equipment, autonomous ships, accident investigation, maritime security, and more.

Find out more here: https://www.emsa.europa.eu/jobs/vacancies.html
Deadline: 19 September 2024

19/07/2024

https://tinyurl.com/tbjs9ymj

The IMO Council has decided to live-stream its plenary meetings and make its documents accessible to the public, in a bid to boost transparency in the Organization.

Meeting in London from 8 to 12 July for its 132nd session, the Council took a series of decisions to modernize its approach and operations.

These include:

Live-streaming plenary sessions of Council
Releasing Council documents and summaries of decisions to the public
Permanently establishing hybrid capabilities to enable for virtual and in-person participation in meetings
Enhancing multilingualism through a Strategic Framework for Multilingualism
The Council noted the ongoing progress on upgrading and improving the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS). GISIS is a comprehensive online hub for the collection, processing and sharing of shipping-related data.

“My efforts continue on the modernization and transparency of IMO,” Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez stated in his opening remarks.

“I will continue to seek efficiencies, from restructuring, to the best use of our financial assets, recruitment and the building facilities, to name a few, while I invest in those who make all these possible - the professional staff of the Secretariat.”

​The IMO Council has decided to live-stream its plenary meetings and make its documents accessible to the public, in a bid to boost transparency in the Organization.

02/05/2024

Spring 2024 edition

This publication provides an overview of upcoming changes to mandatory statutory requirements from the International Maritime Organization and the International Labour Organization, including adopted amendments and those still being discussed and developed for future application.

Notable items include:

The upcoming entry into force of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009, and the ongoing development of measures to improve the efficiency of ships and reduce their greenhouse gas intensity.​​​​​​ ​​​​​

Also included are the ongoing developments to the IGF and IGC Codes, the review of the STCW Convention, and the continued work on a standard for autonomous ships (MASS).

https://www.lr.org/en/knowledge/regulatory-updates/imo-meetings-and-future-legislation/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=regulatory_updates&utm_term=imo

https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NasmCbBywOmYu-hWgdoD5aRJXwZRojjWn060AbJ8TgbNHGImK-ZaQ0ZT7RT27XvaQ_mRw2ob4_mqLO4E7Wo1F6fHWxauye_CFNEarq40Wb2wQu1xT9thNCqZSbhrCViT80RUs_6Bh7avcKqHvxj4f2hwu_0VQ=s0-d-e1-ft ://maritime.lr.org/l/941163/2024-01-11/93crc/941163/1704966750t0eMYWn4/cta_arrow_round.png

13/02/2024

HTW 10 was held from 5 - 9 February 2024

The IMO Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping Sub Committee (HTW 10) is where the human aspects of shipping are discussed. HTW reports to the Maritime Safety Committee.

The Summary Report includes an executive summary for those requiring a general overview, but also more technical information for those who would like more detail on the discussions that took place.

Key items include:

The Comprehensive Review of the STCW Convention and Code.​​​​​​
Development of interim guidance on training for seafarers on ships using alternative fuels.
Development of the STCW GISIS module.

04/02/2024

Embark on a Sea of Creativity with AI-Infused Container Shipping Artistry

31/01/2024

Members engaged in international trade will be aware that the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention’s first stage ballast water exchange requirement (Regulation D-1) came into force in 2017. The second stage (Regulation D-2), which ends the ballast water exchange process and obligates ballast water treatment instead, becomes mandatory on 8 Sept 2024. This Risk Bulletin reviews the BWM D-2 requirements and the compliance steps necessary to avoid PSC detention and/or port state penalties

26/01/2024

IMO UPDATE

LR Summary Report for the IMO Ship Design and Construction Sub Committee (SDC 10)

SDC 10 was held from 22 - 26 January 2023.

The IMO Ship Design and Construction Sub-Committee (SDC) is where many technical and operational requirements related to ship design and construction (including tonnage, load line and stability) are discussed. SDC reports to the Maritime Safety Committee.

Key developments from SDC 10 include:

Draft guidelines for emergency towing arrangements (ETA) for ships other than tankers.​​​​​​
Review of the guidelines for the reduction of Underwater Radiated Noise from shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life and identification of next steps.
Draft guidelines on alternative design and arrangements for SOLAS chapter II-1/55 - Safety objectives and functional requirements, were finalised.
Draft guidelines for use of fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP) within ship structures.

15/01/2024

New biofouling requirements for ships calling at Australian ports Jan 2024

All shipowners, ship operators, ship masters and shipping agents who represent international ships for the purposes of Australian biosecurity clearance.
As per a recent notice from the Australian Government, there are new biofouling management requirements for ships calling at Australian ports.

An introductory period for these new requirements ended on 15 December 2023. Implementation is now focusing on transitioning to a business-as-usual approach, where operators of all ships will need to provide information on biofouling management practices prior to arriving in Australia.

Ship operators can demonstrate proactive management of biofouling by implementing one of these three accepted management options:
Implementation of an effective biofouling management plan and record book.
Cleaned all biofouling within 30 days prior to arriving in Australian territory.
Implementation of an alternative biofouling management method pre-approved by the department.

Updating your management plan

We can provide support with the preparation of your vessel’s updated Biofouling Management Plan as per the IMO’s 2023 biofouling guidelines (MEPC.378(80)) and in compliance with Australian requirements.

14/12/2023

TO: All shipowners, ship operators, ship managers, ships masters, shipyards and designers.
This Class News is further to Class News 40/2016, which advised on the issuance of ​​​​​MSC.1/Circ.1460/Rev.1.

The IMO, having taken into account concerns about the availability of VHF radiocommunication equipment, has published two circulars delaying the application of new performance standards for such equipment.

New Installations of VHF, MF/HF radio installations and Inmarsat-C ship earth stations

MSC.1/Circ.1676 invites flag Administrations to permit the continued installation of such equipment approved to the older performance standards until 1 January 2028.

New installations of such equipment installed after 1 January 2028 must conform to performance standards specified in the annexes to resolutions MSC.511(105), MSC.512(105) and MSC.513(105).

Existing VHF radio installations

MSC.1/Circ.1460/Rev.4 effectively moves the compliance date for VHF radiocommunication equipment to meet the new channelling requirements from 1 January 2024 to the first radio survey after 1 January 2028.

At such time, ships’ VHF GMDSS equipment is required to be compatible with the frequencies and channelling arrangements set out in Appendix 18 of the ITU Radio Regulations (RR). The amended Appendix 18 requires 4-digit channels rather than the previous 2-digit channels.

For newer VHF equipment, which is not already compatible with the amended RR, compatibility might be achieved by a software update. Older VHF equipment may have to be replaced.

HF GMDSS equipment capable of operating narrow-band direct printing (NBDP)

The requirements of SOLAS Chapter IV related to provision of HF direct-printing telegraphy (NBDP) equipment will effectively be deleted when the revised Chapter IV enters into force on 1 January 2024 (see Class News 25/2023 for details). As such, any requirements related to HF NBDP have been removed from the recently published MSC.1/Circ.1460/Rev.4.

What to do now

Shipowners and ship operators should confirm with their VHF GMDSS radiocommunications installation manufacturer whether software updates or replacement equipment are needed, ahead of the new 2028 deadline.

07/12/2023

IMO Assembly seeks to crack down on “dark fleet”

The IMO Assembly wrapped up its 30th session on December 6. The Assembly is the International Maritime Organization’s highest governing body and among its actions in this latest session were to elect a Council that, 🇺🇦for the first time since 1960, did not include Russia as a member. In another move that Russia was unlikely to be happy with as it tries to circumvent sanctions on its oil exports, the Assembly also passed a resolution urging IMO member states and all relevant stakeholders to promote actions to prevent illegal operations in the maritime sector by the “dark fleet” or “shadow fleet” in the maritime sector.

The dark fleet could be characterized as rustbuckets operated by sleazebags, taking measures such as turning off AIS transponders that make its vessels a safety hazard.

The resolution calls upon flag states to take these measures against dark fleet operations:

ensure that ships on their registers adhere to measures which prohibit or regulate ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of oil, and that such ships comply with pollution prevention requirements; and

consider requiring ships on their register to update their STS plans to include notifying them when and where they are engaged in such operations

The resolution calls upon port states to:

ensure enforcement of the safety and liability conventions;

notify flag states when they become aware of ships intentionally taking measures to avoid detection, such as turning off their AIS or LRIT transmissions; and

monitor STS operations within their territorial seas and EEZ and take appropriate action when ships are not complying with maritime safety or maritime pollution prevention regulations

The Assembly also discussed a wide range of other less headline-grabbing topics that will have important impacts on shipping operations, including:

Procedures for port state control

Survey Guidelines under the Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC)

Obligations under instruments relevant to the IMO Instruments Implementation Code

Guidelines on implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Administrations