IMO Maritime Safety Committee approves new Industrial Personnel Code

The 105^th session of IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) approved the draft new SOLAS chapter XV on “Safety measures for ships carrying industrial personnel” making the new draft “International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code)” mandatory for entry into force on 1 July 2024.

IMCA continues to have concerns which it has raised several times during the development of the Code, that the application of the new IP Code and the existing SPS Code are not clearly defined, which it anticipates will lead to implementation difficulties in the future. IMO has recognised that there remain some outstanding issues to be addressed, including clarifying the interaction between the IP and SPS Codes, incorporating provisions for passenger ships and, with respect to high-speed craft carrying IP, and provisions for sleeping berths and for high-speed craft carrying more than 60 persons and, for this reason, the MSC agreed to a second phase of work under the title ʺFurther development of the IP Code and associated guidanceʺ.

IMCA’s Marine Policy & Regulatory Affairs (MPRA) Committee is working on a submission to IMO to ensure that its’ concerns are addressed in the associated Guidance document and will seek support for its’ proposals from Member States who flag offshore marine contracting vessels as well as IACS.

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