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Operational Guide · Registers & Logbooks

Mandatory Reporting of Containers Lost at Sea (SOLAS 2026)

It is no longer enough to report a container loss to one's own Company: from 2026 the Master must inform nearby ships, the nearest coastal State and the flag State, which in turn reports the incident to the IMO.

SOLAS Chapter Vcontainers lost at seaRes. MSC.550(108)danger message

Operational Explanation

Resolution MSC.550(108) amended SOLAS Chapter V, Regulations 31 and 32 (Danger messages), introducing the requirement for the Master of every ship involved in the loss of one or more cargo containers to communicate the details of the incident to nearby ships, to the nearest coastal State and to the flag State, which in turn must report the incident to the IMO through the GISIS (Global Integrated Shipping Information System).

The requirement applies to any ship carrying one or more cargo containers, as well as to any ship that sights containers adrift at sea. Regulation 32 specifies the minimum information to include in the danger message: position, number of containers lost and other details relevant to the safety of navigation. If the ship is abandoned or unable to communicate, the reporting obligation falls on the Company, as defined in Regulation IX/1.2.

CCC 11 update (September 2025): the reporting requirement in force from 2026 is only the first piece of a comprehensive work plan on the prevention of container loss, finalised by the IMO CCC (Carriage of Cargoes and Containers) sub-committee at its 11th session. The plan identifies five areas of regulatory action on which the IMO is developing amendments to several instruments (SOLAS, the CSS Code, the CSC Code and related circulars): operational guidance and loading limitations; weather and sea conditions during the voyage; loading, stowage, validation and planning; technical calculation standards and properties of securing devices, together with related inspection programmes; container structural strength properties, also with related inspection programmes. In parallel, CCC 11 advanced the amendments to the Cargo Securing Manual guidelines to allow the use of lashing software in its preparation, with finalisation expected at CCC 12.

Regulatory Reference

SOLAS Chapter V, Regulations 31 and 32, amended by Resolution MSC.550(108), in force from 1° January 2026: requirement to report the loss of cargo containers to nearby ships, to the nearest coastal State and to the flag State; the latter reports the incident to the IMO via GISIS. CCC 11 (September 2025): comprehensive work plan across 5 areas for the prevention of container loss (operational guidance, weather and sea conditions, loading/stowage/planning, securing standards, container structural strength), with amendments to SOLAS, the CSS Code and the CSC Code in development; lashing software guidelines for the Cargo Securing Manual expected at CCC 12.

Scope of Application

Every ship carrying one or more cargo containers, and every ship that sights containers adrift at sea, regardless of whether the loss involves its own ship or was observed on other vessels.

Procedure / How to Complete It

  1. In the event of a container loss, immediately transmit a danger message to nearby ships in accordance with SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 31.
  2. Include in the message the minimum information required by Regulation 32: position, number of containers lost and any other detail relevant to the safety of navigation.
  3. Notify the incident to the nearest coastal State and to one's own flag State, as required by the new regulation.
  4. If containers are sighted adrift (even if not one's own), report them anyway using the same procedure, since the requirement applies to every ship that observes them.
  5. Prepare a documented on-board procedure for rapid reporting, including up-to-date flag State contacts and the communication channels to be used.
  6. Follow the evolution of the CCC work plan on the prevention of container loss (5 areas), in anticipation of future amendments to SOLAS, the CSS Code and the CSC Code.

Practical Example

Example: during a passage in adverse sea conditions, a container ship loses 8 containers from the outer deck; the Master immediately transmits a danger message to nearby ships with the position and number of containers lost, notifies the nearest coastal State and his own flag State, which subsequently reports the incident to the IMO via GISIS.

Real Cases

The introduction of the reporting requirement, in force from 2026, represents a significant change from the previous voluntary framework: before this date, the reporting of container losses depended largely on the internal policy of each individual Company, resulting in the under-representation of the phenomenon in the global statistics available to bodies such as the World Shipping Council.

Common Mistakes Mistake Library

MistakeConsequenceHow to avoid it
Container loss reported only internally to the Company, without notification to nearby ships, the coastal State and the flag StateNon-compliance with the new SOLAS Chapter V requirement from 2026, an unaddressed risk for other shipsAlways follow the full reporting procedure to all recipients required by Regulation 31/32
Containers sighted adrift but not reported because they do not belong to one's own shipA navigational hazard not communicated, in breach of the requirement extended to every ship that observes itAlways report containers sighted adrift, regardless of their origin
On-board procedure for rapid reporting not prepared in advance, wasting valuable time when the event occursDelay in transmitting the danger messagePrepare a documented procedure in advance with up-to-date contacts and communication channels

PSC Observations

In the event of relevant incidents, PSCOs may verify that the Company and the ship correctly followed the reporting procedure set out in SOLAS Chapter V Regulations 31/32, including the timeliness and completeness of the information communicated.

Operational Tips

Checklist

FAQ

From when is the reporting of containers lost at sea mandatory?
From 1 January 2026, according to the amendments to SOLAS Chapter V Regulations 31 and 32 introduced by Resolution MSC.550(108).
To whom must a container loss be communicated?
To nearby ships, to the nearest coastal State and to the flag State, which in turn reports the incident to the IMO through the GISIS system.
Does the requirement apply only if the containers lost belong to one's own ship?
No: it also applies to any ship that sights containers adrift at sea, regardless of their origin.
Does the 2026 reporting requirement conclude the IMO's work on container loss?
No: it is only the first applied piece of a broader work plan, finalised at CCC 11 (September 2025), which addresses 5 distinct regulatory areas (operational guidance, weather and sea conditions, loading/stowage, securing standards, container structural strength) with amendments to several IMO instruments in development.
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Related Topics

Cargo Securing Manual and Cargo LashingRo-Ro Cargo Securing