Maritime Wiki
One entry for each of the 205 operational topic pages: the current source description and a direct link to the full page. The list is rebuilt from the source topics.
Available entries
Oil Record Book — Part I (Machinery Space Operations)
Prescribed ORB Part I operations: codes, weekly inventory, signatures and record retention.
Sludge Management
Oil-residue collection and disposal, weekly inventory and consistency between tanks, ORB and receipts.
Bilge Water Management
Bilge discharges: geographical conditions, OWS, alarm and automatic stopping, checks and records.
Garbage Record Book
Garbage management and records, accidental losses and discharge conditions; Red Sea requirements active since 2025.
SOPEP — Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan
Oil-spill response preparation: approved plan, updated official contacts and ship–shore coordination.
Incinerator Operations
Permitted materials, operating limits and temperature monitoring; relevant records and ash management.
Ballast Water Management
The BWM Convention: scope, approved plan, standards, records, failures and conditions for alternative measures.
Change Over Fuel (Fuel Oil Changeover ECA)
Separate fuels, already-compliant fuel or approved equivalents: plan ECA transitions and record relevant events.
MARPOL Annex VI — Prevention of Air Pollution
Annex VI fuel, engine and emission requirements, with distinct scopes and dates for NOx, SOx, SEEMP, DCS and CII.
Managing a Non-Conformity (NC)
How a non-conformity is opened, classified and formally closed within the Safety Management System — the heart of the ISM Code's continuous improvement cycle.
Reporting a Near Miss
A near miss is the most valuable and hardest-to-collect piece of information: how to build a reporting culture that does not punish the person who reports.
Designated Person Ashore (DPA)
The link between ship and senior management: the DPA’s functions, direct access and the support the Company must provide.
ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System)
Carriage requirement, back-up arrangement and ENC updating: the most common errors that turn ECDIS from a safety tool into a source of PSC deficiencies.
Passage Planning
The four phases — appraisal, planning, execution, monitoring: how to build a berth-to-berth passage plan that truly holds up against the reality of the route.
Musters and Abandon Ship Drill
The muster list, new crew familiarization and the frequency of abandon ship drills: the first thing a PSC inspector checks on boarding.
Ship Risk Profile and New Inspection Regime (NIR)
Under the Paris MoU, Ship Risk Profile connects ship data with inspection windows and selection priorities. Prepare for the call by reading the current profile, last regional inspection and additional factors together.
Detention and Banning
Managing detention connects the order, deficiencies, rectification and authority verification. Refusal of access (banning) is a separate measure: lifting it requires the applicable regime’s conditions to be met as well as the minimum period.
Enclosed Space Entry
Enclosed-space entry connects hazard assessment, authorisation, atmosphere testing and controls while the space is occupied. The rescue plan and two-monthly drill for personnel with entry or rescue duties prepare an organised response: an open or previously ventilated tank is not thereby safe.
Bridge Resource Management (BRM)
BRM applies communication, task allocation, challenge and response, and shared situational awareness to control human factors in bridge operations.
Blackout and Failure Management
A blackout requires a clear distinction between emergency power, main generation and functions actually available. Understanding the ship’s roles, diagnosis and checks helps readers follow recovery and record remaining limitations and follow-up.
Bottom Survey and In-Water Survey (IWS)
The bottom survey must make the hull and related items verifiable. In dry dock or afloat, preparation, evidence quality and the applicable regime determine what can be examined and credited.
Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC)
HSSC connects surveys and certificates under the instruments included in the system. Identifying the document, survey type, dates and evidence allows the programme to be coordinated while retaining each certificate’s distinct requirements.
Condition of Class and Recommendations
A condition of class must be managed against the Society’s wording, deadline and closure requirements. Completed work is not yet class-accepted closure.
CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator)
How to read annual CII and the A–E rating, establish applicability and respond to three consecutive D ratings or one E with a corrective-action plan in SEEMP.
EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime
EU ETS, MRV and FuelEU have distinct scopes: in 2027 ETS adds offshore ships ≥5,000 GT; 400–4,999 remains proposal/review, while FuelEU concerns ships above 5,000 GT.
Sewage Management — MARPOL Annex IV
Sewage discharge conditions: approved plant, distances, discharge rate and additional Baltic, polar and local requirements.
Bunker Delivery Note and MARPOL Sampling
BDNs and samples: distinguish conventional and gas/low-flashpoint fuels, required data, custody and MARPOL/SOLAS checks.
Emergency Preparedness and Contingency Plan
Having a written emergency plan is not enough: the ISM Code requires proof, through regular drills, that the crew could really carry it out.
Handling Seafarer Complaints (MLC 2006)
Every ship subject to the MLC must have a fair, effective and expeditious on-board complaint procedure. The MLC sets no deadlines in days: the flag State's law and the company procedure do, and those are what a PSCO checks against.
Permit to Work System
A Permit to Work is the documented method by which the SMS controls high-risk work under the applicable procedure and risk assessment.
Ship Security Plan and the ISPS Code
The validity of the SSO's STCW VI/5 Certificate of Proficiency is checked under issuing-Administration and flag rules; its absence is a clear ground, not an automatic detention.
Life-Saving Appliances: Liferafts, EPIRB and SART
Beyond lifeboats, a ship's real survival basket depends on equipment that is rarely checked and taken for granted to work: liferafts, EPIRBs and SARTs.
USCG Port State Control
For a US call, organise notifications, documents and the ship’s condition against applicable USCG requirements and local instructions; check targeting, flag eligibility and the ship’s QUALSHIP 21 enrollment separately.
Tokyo MOU: Regional Specificities
Preparing a call in the Tokyo MOU region means checking the ship’s particulars and history in APCIS, reading its NIR profile and inspection window, and organising documents, operating conditions and any applicable CIC.
Ro-Ro Cargo Securing
Ro-ro securing connects the vehicle’s mass, centre of gravity and position with the securing points and lashings specified by the Cargo Securing Manual. Check the actual configuration and installation; variants or cargo not covered require a competent assessment using the data, method and checks required by the applicable process.
Reefer Container Monitoring
Reefer monitoring connects readings, alarms, unit status and carriage instructions. Local checks and telematics help reconstruct deviations: distinguish the set point from measured temperature and retain checks, actions and authorisations for changes.
Managing Cargo Claims
Managing a cargo claim means promptly collecting facts and evidence on cargo quantity, apparent condition and chronology, linking them to the bill of lading, reservations and records. The Master, Company and P&I use the prescribed channels; the regime, liability and deadlines require competent case-specific assessment.
Passage Planning in Polar Waters (Polar Code)
From 1 January 2026 MSC.532(107) and MSC.538(107) extend navigation and voyage-planning requirements to added non-SOLAS categories; ships constructed before that date must comply by 1 January 2027.
Electronic Navigation and GNSS Resilience
Multi-band, multi-constellation, RAIM, authentication and CRPA may mitigate GNSS risk but do not guarantee a valid fix during jamming or spoofing: plausibility checks and independent sources remain necessary.
VTS Traffic Management
Participating ships take information, advice and warnings into account; VTS requirements and instructions issued within the applicable framework are complied with unless contradictory safety or marine-environment-protection reasons exist.
Boiler Operations
The auxiliary boiler produces steam for the ship's services. The engineering watch follows feedwater supply, combustion, pressure and level: from preparation to shutdown, plant control and follow-up of abnormalities keep the service available.
Refrigeration Plant
The refrigeration plant transfers heat from cold rooms to the cooling medium. Understanding the cycle, circulation and controls helps readers interpret temperatures and alarms, distinguish faults and connect maintenance with refrigerant management.
Operational Energy Efficiency in the Engine Room
Engine-room measures can contribute to CII and SEEMP, but the choice must be demonstrated across the whole energy system: engine load, heat recovery and electrical generation have no universal outcome.
Anchor and Chain Cable Survey
An anchor and chain cable survey connects equipment examination, wear measurements and component identity with service condition. The survey helps identify defects, support renewal decisions and make the equipment returned on board verifiable.
Cargo Hold Survey for Bulk Carriers (ESP)
Cargo-hold surveys connect structural examination, access and thickness measurements to the ESP programme. Findings and ship history guide further investigation; reports, repairs and outcomes must remain traceable to the areas examined.
Shipyard Waste Management during Dry Dock
Waste management in dry dock links each job to an identified stream, collected separately and followed through to its documented destination. Ship and yard agree responsibilities, containment and delivery evidence before work starts.
Safety Construction, Equipment and Radio Certificate
Safety Construction, Equipment and Radio cover distinct scopes. Check thresholds, certificates actually issued, records and endorsements; a combined Cargo Ship Safety Certificate may be provided.
ISPS Certification (International Ship Security Certificate)
The ISSC records verification of ship security within SOLAS XI-2 scope; validity depends on timely verifications and endorsements.
MLC Certification (Maritime Labour Certificate and DMLC)
The Maritime Labour Certificate and DMLC connect certification with actual measures for working and living conditions on board.
Ballast Water Management Convention In Depth
From the BWM plan to discharge: system operation, commissioning, records and exemptions, distinguishing applicable obligations from changes still under development.
Biofouling Management
The Biofouling Guidelines are voluntary and create no IMO-certified provider: before in-water cleaning, check port/coastal-State rules and assess the service technically.
Underwater Radiated Noise (URN)
MEPC 84 agreed in principle to extend the URN experience-building phase to end-2028; the Revised Guidelines remain voluntary.
Anti-Fouling Systems (AFS Convention)
AFS Convention: TBT and cybutryne controls, treatment of existing coatings and ship-specific documentation.
VOC Management Plan
Crude-oil vapour emissions: approved VOC plan contents, shipboard responsibilities and separate port requirements.
Management of Change (MoC)
Assess a change before introducing it: risks, approvals, people and documents, using a process proportionate to the change.
Dangerous Goods Manifest and Notification to Port Authorities
SOLAS VII/4.2 governs dangerous-goods documentation and the copy available before departure; pre-arrival notification, timing, channels and reporting party instead depend on the individual port regime.
CTU Code: Packing and Stowage of Cargo Transport Units
The packer checks and documents internal packing; terminal, carrier and ship perform external acceptance inspection of a sealed CTU without claiming to have checked its interior.
IBC Code and Operations on Chemical Tankers
Product acceptance follows the Certificate of Fitness, Code and ship-specific limits; the Administration-approved P&A Manual governs Annex II procedures and Category X prewash occurs after unloading, before departure.
Lithium Batteries: Thermal Runaway and Fire Response on Board
Lithium-battery fire response follows the UN entry, EmS schedule and ship-specific procedures; SP376 separates the critical P911/LP906 branch from other damaged/defective P908/LP904, without improvised onboard diagnosis.
EmS Guide and MFAG: Responding to Emergencies Involving Dangerous Goods
The IMDG Code requires appropriate emergency information immediately available; the EmS Guide and MFAG are recognised IMO tools, while specific carriage duties depend on flag, law and SMS.
Liquefied Gases and Operational Notes on the IGC Code
Boil-off management uses systems approved for ship and cargo; venting is not a routine substitute for reliquefaction. MSC.523(106) has been in force since 1 January 2026, while the MSC 111 IGC package awaits formal adoption.
IMDG Training and Crew Education
IMDG Chapter 1.3 governs shore-based personnel; crew competence follows STCW, ISM/SMS, flag requirements, duties and any applicable specialised training.
Watertight Doors and Compartment Integrity
Watertight-door operation depends on ship type, door category and the applicable arrangement: SOLAS II-1/21–22 applies to passenger ships, while cargo ships follow II-1/13-1 and their approved configuration.
Helicopter Operations and Helideck Safety
Helicopter operations require dedicated firefighting personnel during refuelling, safety devices on the helideck and rigorous coordination with the flight crew: an area often neglected in general crew training.
Black Sea MOU: Regional Specificities
For a Black Sea MoU call, check regional particulars and reports in BSIS, the risk profile and Authority instructions, then prepare the ship’s condition, documents and outstanding actions; the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC is an additional check, distinct from permanent BWM compliance.
Indian Ocean MOU: Regional Specificities
Preparing an IOMOU call requires identifying the competent Authority and applicable instruments, comparing particulars and reports in IOCIS, and organising documents, operating conditions and outstanding actions against port State instructions.
Heavy Lift Cargo and Project Cargo
For heavy lift and project cargo, reliable data, supports and securing must match the CSM and ship limits. Annex 13 also assists competent ship’s staff in assessing arrangements outside the manual; calculations, acceptance and checks follow the particular case.
BNWAS and Anti-Collision Alert Systems
BNWAS monitors watch activity and calls assistance if the OOW does not respond. It must operate whenever the ship is underway at sea; MSC.1/Circ.1474 advises against using the automatic mode linked to autopilot.
Predictive Maintenance based on IoT Sensors
From sensor to decision: identifiable, comparable data help observe condition, verify an anomaly and follow up work. Diagnosis and prognosis need evidence and limits; PMS retains responsibilities, tasks and outcomes.
Boiler Water Treatment
Water treatment protects the boiler and steam circuit against corrosion, deposits and contaminant carryover. A reliable sample, interpreted within the plant programme, connects the result with the possible cause, correction and follow-up.
Managing Shipyard Repair Contracts
Specification, bid and contract define the shipyard work. During execution, variations, tests and outstanding work must remain linked to authorised decisions and the agreed redelivery.
Managing Surveys under Dual/Multiple Classification
Double class and dual class describe different arrangements. Survey responsibilities must follow the participating societies’ documents.
Statement of Compliance for Ships in Temporary Lay-up
A lay-up file connects ship arrangements, preservation, class and certificate status with conditions for return to service; issuer declarations document their own scope and conditions.
Digitalization of Statutory Certificates
An electronic certificate allows the issued document, its validity and endorsements to be presented and verified using the authority’s instructions and a unique identifier.
Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage (OCCS)
OCCS is an emissions-abatement technology, not a fuel or energy source; CII/EEXI/NZF accounting, testing, survey and certification remain to be established by applicable instruments.
Shore Power and Cold Ironing (Onshore Power Supply)
Preparing a shore-power port call: AFIR and FuelEU duties, timelines, ship–shore compatibility and the evidence to retain.
Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS)
WAPS can reduce propulsion power and fuel use in favourable conditions, but benefit depends on the ship, route, wind, arrangement and auxiliary loads and must be verified against a comparable baseline.
Dangerous Solid Bulk Cargoes: the IMSBC Code, Liquefaction and Self-Heating
The IMSBC Code covers Groups A, A and B, B and C, excluding grain; the shipper supplies information and test certificates, while the onboard can test is only a complementary indication.
MARPOL Annex III: Harmful Substances Carried in Packaged Form
Package and CTU marking follows specific IMDG provisions, including the 5 L/5 kg package exception; spill reporting follows MARPOL Article 8/Protocol I and is coordinated with SMS and safety reporting.
Discharges in Polar Waters: MARPOL Requirements and Polar Code Part II-A
Oil, sewage and garbage discharges in polar waters: prohibitions, exceptions, ice and land distances and the HFO regime.
Contractor and External Supplier Management
Anyone who comes aboard without being crew brings a risk somebody must have assessed: how external suppliers are qualified and monitored, and for which category of them approval is not the Company's choice.
Whistleblowing and Anonymous Reporting of Non-Conformities
Reporting safety concerns needs accessible channels, confidentiality and clearly defined safeguards. MLC complaints, SMS reporting and whistleblowing may overlap, but they do not automatically share the same legal scope or a universal anonymity requirement.
Immersion Suits and Thermal Protection
One immersion suit for every person on board on cargo ships; three per lifeboat plus thermal protection for the rest on passenger ships. It is the count, not the suit, that changes with the ship.
Fixed Firefighting Systems: CO2 and Water Mist
Checking a fixed system includes its charge, controls, alarms, distribution and periodic tests. CO2, water mist and water monitors have different maintenance programmes and operating conditions.
Means of Escape and Emergency Escape Routes
Verify independent, usable escape routes against the approved arrangement. Ship type, space location and Administration dispensations determine the applicable requirements.
Managing an Appeal against a Detention
Appeal time limits, authority, form and effect depend on the notification and port-State law; flag, RO and P&I provide support only within the applicable procedure.
Coordination between Flag State and PSC
Coordination between ship, Company, flag and RO connects the PSC report, deficiencies, deadlines and rectification evidence. Roles and communications remain clear through the port-State decision; for security, also distinguish PSCO and DAO within the applicable scope.
Break Bulk Cargo: Stowage, Dunnage and Damage Prevention
For break bulk, reliable weight, dimensions and centre-of-gravity data guide stowage, dunnage and securing by item or homogeneous group. Tally and apparent-condition records document different aspects of receipt; the evidence package follows the cargo and contract.
Charter Parties and Cargo-Specific Clauses
Reading a charter party means connecting the fixture recap and riders with Notice of Readiness (NOR), port-call facts and times. The actual contract determines how laytime, demurrage, despatch or hire/off-hire apply and which port, berth, afloat and NAABSA conditions need checking.
Icebreaker-Assisted Convoy Navigation
Icebreaker and convoy-control instructions are essential, but the Master and bridge team continuously assess safety against the ship's actual capabilities and conditions and immediately communicate any inability to comply.
Datum Shift and Chart Reference in ECDIS
A charted feature may be uncertain even when the GNSS fix is precise: horizontal position, sounding datum, height datum and quality/CATZOC are distinct issues to assess without improvised manual offsets.
Integrated Automation Systems and Unmanned Machinery Space (UMS)
UMS allows periods with machinery spaces unattended when the approved arrangements, plant condition and watchkeeping arrangements permit. Automation monitors and signals; the designated engineer officer remains on call and ready to respond.
Digital Twin for the Engine Room
A digital twin is a voluntary tool: value and reliability depend on the use case, data, model, validation and decision risk; industry guidance and assurance frameworks help define and verify its use.
Managing Post-Repair Warranties (Warranty Claims)
Managing a post-repair defect means documenting facts, checking notice terms and receipt, preserving evidence and following the remedy. The claim outcome and the ship’s safe restoration require distinct evidence.
Dry Dock Scheduling for Sister Ships (Sister Ship Scheduling)
Experience from the first ship helps prepare sister ships’ dockings when it leads to targeted verification on each vessel. Differences, inspection outcomes and individual due dates guide work, quantities and docking sequence.
Interim Certificates
Interim DOC, SMC, ISSC and Maritime Labour Certificate allow interim certification in their respective permitted cases, following specific verifications and for distinct periods.
Coordination between Class Surveys and Statutory Surveys (RO)
Coordinating surveys means connecting the calendar, access and evidence with class and statutory requirements. The same organisation may act in different roles: identify the mandate, acceptance and records for each scope.
Methanol and Ammonia Bunkering: Infrastructure and Real Cases
Methanol/ammonia bunkering availability is route- and port-specific: verify supplier, transfer mode, approval, technical standard and emergency arrangement directly.
Just Transition and the Social Impact of Decarbonization
The transition requires competence tied to the actual fuel, technology, role and arrangement: STCW.7/Circ.25, .26 and .27 provide interim guidance, while MJTTF frameworks remain non-mandatory resources.
Review of the EU MRV Framework in Light of the EU ETS
The 2026 EU review produced COM(2026) 620 final: it is a legislative proposal, while current MRV scope remains governed by consolidated Regulation (EU) 2015/757 until a final act is adopted.
IMO DCS: Transport Work and Advanced Granularity from 2026
DCS: ordinary enhanced granularity from 2026, 2025 early-implementation or delivery branches, transport work, data gaps and access.
Prevention of Violence and Harassment Onboard
From 1 January 2026, mandatory PSSR training includes for the first time a specific competence on preventing and responding to violence, sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault on board.
Master's Authority and Safety Culture
The Master's authority is not a hierarchical formality: the ISM Code requires it to be explicitly defined, documented and recognized as overriding any other pressure, including commercial ones.
Ro-Ro and Vehicle Spaces: New Fire Detection and Protection Requirements (2026)
For new passenger ships from 2026, SOLAS II-2/20 requires individually identifiable detection in the relevant spaces. Cargo and existing ships follow different provisions: check category, date and space type together.
Shipboard Lifting Appliances: The New SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13 Regime
From 1 January 2026 SOLAS regulates shipboard lifting appliances within the Regulation II-1/2.30 definition — cargo cranes included — with testing, thorough examination and SWL marking under the applicable regime. The four exclusions are exhaustive.
Mediterranean MOU: Regional Specificities
For a Med MoU call, check the competent Authority, ship particulars and reports, and current instructions: France and Albania bring membership to thirteen from 1 January 2026; 2024 statistics and the announced risk-profile transition have distinct roles.
Bulk Carriers: PSC Risk Profile and Recurring Deficiencies
Preparing a bulk carrier for PSC means linking the regional profile, ship history, ESP, maintenance and ISM implementation to actual conditions and outstanding actions. DNV Q1 2026 data guide areas to check within their aggregated scope.
BLU Code: Safety in the Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers
SOLAS VI/7 contains the Convention requirements for bulk-carrier loading and unloading; the BLU Code is linked operational guidance and the IMSBC Code governs solid bulk cargo under a distinct framework.
Mandatory Reporting of Containers Lost at Sea (SOLAS 2026)
Reporting containers lost or observed drifting connects the event, recipients and available data with a timely message. From 1 January 2026 SOLAS V/31–32 distinguishes loss and observation: a loss also requires follow-up information, safe verification and a final report.
Cargo Record Book (Record Book for Noxious Liquid Substances)
MARPOL Annex II requires the Cargo Record Book for every ship certified to carry NLS in bulk, with defined signatures, availability and retention, and prewash control by the surveyor authorised by the competent Government.
Cargo Securing Manual and Cargo Lashing
The approved Cargo Securing Manual (CSM) connects the actual cargo with the ship’s stowage arrangements, limits and securing devices. It is used before departure and during the voyage; applicability follows the ship and cargo, while the 2026 CIC checks existing requirements.
Draft Survey and Determining Cargo Quantity
A draft survey determines cargo quantity by comparing displacement before and after the operation, accounting for changes in non-cargo weights. Readings, corrections and deductions must be traceable; comparison with shore figures, tolerance and surveyor appointment follow the protocol and applicable conditions.
IMDG Code — Carriage of Dangerous Goods in Packaged Form
Managing dangerous goods in packaged form connects the consignment declaration, IMDG entry, documents and actual cargo with space suitability, stowage and segregation. Amendment 42-24 applies in 2026; preparation for 43-26 must distinguish its dates and the status of the official texts.
Loading/Discharging Plan
For solid bulk cargoes within the applicable scope of SOLAS VI/7, the Master and terminal representative agree the loading or unloading plan. The BLU Code guides the bulk-carrier/terminal interface; other cargoes follow their own regime, manuals, SMS and applicable procedures.
Tank Cleaning
Tank cleaning requires three distinct checks: environmental handling of washing and residues, operational safety, and suitability for the next cargo. The MARPOL regime, P&A Manual or Crude Oil Washing (COW) manual, SMS procedures and acceptance criteria determine the checks and records needed for the particular case.
Simulator Training: the Ongoing STCW Review
The comprehensive STCW review is in its revision phase: simulator use is under consideration, but no new universal substitution of sea service is in force without an IMO instrument and Administration requirements.
MASS Code: the New IMO Framework for Autonomous Ships
The MSC.595(111) MASS Code is a non-mandatory instrument effective from 1 July 2026; the EBP and future mandatory Code follow an expected roadmap, not already adopted obligations.
Methanol Engines: Reliability and Spare Parts Management in a Still-Young Technology
Methanol-engine reliability also depends on fuel supply, auxiliary circuits and protections. Linking observed condition, diagnosis and component revision supports planning of maintenance and spares that can actually be used on the installed plant.
Fire Safety of Onboard Battery Rooms (BESS)
BESS safety connects cell condition, protection systems and spaces: recognise abnormalities before they spread, follow the installation’s response strategy and keep heat, gas and energy risks under control after an alarm.
Hong Kong Convention: Inventory of Hazardous Materials and Green Passport
The IHM links hazardous materials to their locations and quantities on the individual ship. Part I is maintained during the operational life; Parts II and III are prepared before recycling. In dry dock, the inventory is checked against removals and new installations.
Next-Generation Coating: Planning the Dry Dock Choice
Select the external anti-fouling system against AFS compliance, operating profile and planned maintenance. Advertised coating life does not change bottom-survey and docking due dates.
Hot Work Permit at the Shipyard: Ship-Dock Coordination
The hot-work permit must coordinate ship and yard: permission to enter a space does not mean welding or cutting is permitted inside it.
Change of Flag and the Shadow Fleet: What Changes for Surveys and Certificates
A flag transfer connects the ship’s identity and registry, verification by the new Administration and the validity of individual certificates at the time of transfer.
Coordination between the HSSC Cycle and SIRE 2.0 Vetting Inspections
Coordinating HSSC and SIRE 2.0 helps organise vessel availability, particulars and evidence for two distinct processes: statutory certification and commercial assessment by the report recipient.
CII: 2027-2030 Reduction Factors and New SEEMP Granularity
CII factors for 2027–2030, the enhanced DCS data timetable and SEEMP updates: connected topics with distinct rules and dates.
Carriage of Radioactive Materials: IMDG Class 7 and the INF Code
Class 7 package type, label category, Transport Index and Criticality Safety Index are distinct dimensions; TI appears on Category II-YELLOW and III-YELLOW, not Category I-WHITE.
Dangerous Goods in Holds on Non-Containerised General Cargo Ships
Segregation on a conventional cargo ship follows exact UN entries, hazards, DGL codes, segregation groups and Table 7.2.4; neither a generic class nor a CTU shell alone determines the required level.
Safe Return to Port: The Design Principle for Passenger Ships
Safe Return to Port applies to passenger ships constructed from 1 July 2010 above the stated thresholds; in May 2026 MSC 111 approved the non-mandatory Explanatory Notes MSC.1/Circ.1369/Rev.1.
Passenger Musters at Embarkation: Before Departure, No Longer Within 24 Hours
Whenever new passengers embark, III/19.2.3 requires a safety briefing immediately before or after departure. If scheduled time aboard exceeds 24 hours, III/19.2.2 also requires a muster before or immediately upon departure; the briefing may be included in the muster. These duties are not alternatives.
Evacuation Analysis on Passenger Ships: Simplified and Advanced Method
SOLAS has two limbs: ro-ro passenger ships constructed from 1 July 1999 with no passenger threshold, and other passenger ships constructed from 1 January 2020 carrying more than 36 passengers.
Damage Stability of Ro-Ro Passenger Ships (SOLAS 2020)
SOLAS 2020 applicability follows three alternative triggers; regular services to or from EU ports also engage Directive 2003/25/EC as amended by Directive (EU) 2023/946.
Managing a Gastrointestinal Outbreak on Board
Each AGE case is identified and managed promptly under the applicable plan; in VSP, 2% triggers a special report and 3% or an unusual pattern triggers outbreak/investigation criteria, separately for passengers and crew.
SAR Cooperation Plan on Passenger Ships
Knowing who to call in an emergency is not enough: the cooperation plan with search and rescue services must be built together with those services, kept up to date and exercised. The Regulation sets no frequency: the twelve months come from the guidelines, and they are a ceiling with a presumption of compliance, not an annual obligation.
Persons with Reduced Mobility: Accessibility on Board
Physical accessibility, assistance rights and digital services follow different instruments: MSC/Circ.735 is guidance, EU Regulation 1177/2010 governs assistance and non-discrimination, and the EAA only specified service elements.
Passenger Ship Safety Certificate: The Twelve-Month Renewal Survey Regime
The Passenger Ship Safety Certificate is valid for no more than twelve months and is renewed through a renewal survey every twelve months; only the Administration may grant the exceptional extensions under SOLAS I/14.
Gangway Operations: Safety of the Accommodation Ladder
The revised guideline distinguishes design, fall protection and operational measures: PPE, safety net and access control depend on configuration, risk, Administration and SSP/SMS.
Tender Operations: Service Boats for Passenger Transfer
MSC.1/Circ.1417 recommends controls for ship-carried craft transferring more than 12 passengers from a stationary ship to shore and back; binding effect and extension depend on implementation and the SMS.
Passenger Accounting: The Accuracy of the Roll-Call after Costa Concordia
SOLAS III/27 governs counts and information before departure; during an emergency, the accountability method comes from the ship's approved procedure and SMS.
Crowd Management: Managing the Flow to Assembly Stations
How to guide passengers towards muster stations: duties, communication, assistance and changes of route according to the ship’s plans.
Cabin Safety: Stateroom Security Requirements under the CVSSA
The Act asks for a peephole «or other means of visual identification»; the 25mm and the metal frame come from a Coast Guard policy letter, and are the threshold beyond which an installation must be justified, not the minimum to be met.
The Onboard Medical Centre: Between MLC and Voluntary Standards
The MLC minimum operates alongside applicable national medical duties. US sections 3507 and 3509 also incorporate ACEP within their respective scopes; distinguish these duties from CLIA commitments and voluntarily adopted standards.
Turnaround Operations: Managing Simultaneous Operations in Port
SIMOPS is a company method that may be integrated into the SMS: authority, interfaces and stop-work responsibility must be clear, while role titles, toolbox talks and ALARP depend on the adopted framework.
Ro-pax drill: vehicle-deck fire and SMS follow-up
A fictional case connects technical response, passenger management, ship–shore coordination, debrief and action verification while keeping ISM, SOLAS and STCW references distinct.
New North-East Atlantic ECA: SOx, PM and NOx (MEPC 84)
North-East Atlantic ECA: boundaries and ship/engine criteria; applicable Tier III from 1 September 2027, SOx/PM from 1 September 2028.
Integrated Bilge Water Treatment System: Current Guidance and Draft Regulation 12B
IBTS: existing guidance for separating and managing bilge water; future regulation 12B approved as a draft, not yet in force.
IMO 2026 Strategy on Marine Plastic Litter and the Future Pellet Code
The MARPOL plastic-discharge prohibition is already in force. The 2030 strategy, voluntary pellet guidance and future code remain distinct.
NOx Technical Code: Recertification, Multiple Profiles and the Ammonia/Hydrogen Draft
NOx: modification and recertification, multiple profiles and phased application. For multi-fuel engines, distinguish the adopted requirements, the non-carbon fuels project and the EEDI track.
New 2026 ECAs: Canadian Arctic and Norwegian Sea
Canadian Arctic and Norwegian Sea: applicable Tier III from 1 March 2026 with distinct criteria; SOx/PM from 1 March 2027.
Crew Fatigue: The IMO 2026-2027 Review Process
Fatigue management is already part of safe operations: adequate manning, effective rest and reliable records. The ongoing IMO review examines the effectiveness of the existing framework; it does not defer present duties until 2027.
Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA)
The action that truly closes the loop: what the ISM Code actually requires — corrective action under Section 9 — and where the CAPA cycle used by many Companies comes from instead.
Cyber Risk Management in the SMS (MSC.428(98))
The ISM Code has never had a dedicated cyber risk chapter: Resolution MSC.428(98) affirms that an approved SMS should take it into account under the objectives and functional requirements of the Code, and encourages Administrations to check it from 2021.
Document of Compliance (DOC) and Safety Management Certificate (SMC)
The two certificates that make ISM compliance tangible: what they attest, who issues them, when they must be renewed, and what happens if they expire or are suspended.
Crew Familiarisation and Training
From qualification to ship-specific knowledge: familiarisation before assigned duties and essential instructions before sailing.
Internal SMS Audit
How to plan and conduct the internal audit the ISM Code requires at intervals not exceeding twelve months — and how to make it a useful tool, not just a formality.
Management Review
The periodic evaluation through which the Company checks SMS effectiveness and decides how to improve resources, procedures and results.
Autonomous Ships (MASS): the Company's Responsibility under the SMS
Autonomous or remote operations need explicit roles and operating conditions: the Company, Master and remote centre are not interchangeable. The non-mandatory MASS Code provides a framework to coordinate with ISM, authorisations and the ship's concept of operations.
TMSA: the Company's self-assessment, not the ship's
TMSA is OCIMF's Company management self-assessment: 13 elements, 266 KPIs and four cumulative levels. Declared attainment must reflect actual implementation, not just available documents; sharing with third parties requires the relevant permissions.
Pilot Transfer Arrangements: The New SOLAS V/23 Performance Standard
The pilot ladder is no longer just a technical requirement in the text of the regulation: MSC 110 moves it into a new, standalone mandatory performance standard, with a long implementation timeline that nonetheless needs planning now.
Ship Fuel Safety: Flashpoint Declaration
For ships to which SOLAS II-2/4.2.1.6 applies, fuel documentation must state the flashpoint or prescribed declaration under a standard acceptable to IMO.
Emergency Generator Test
The periodic emergency generator test and the black-out test: the difference between a successful start in a routine test and one that is truly reliable in an emergency.
Fire Drill and Fire Safety
The minimum frequency of fire drills, equipment inspection, and the mistakes that turn a routine exercise into a PSC deficiency.
GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System)
The system that connects a ship in distress to the whole world: what changed with the modernisation in force since 2024, and how to stay compliant with the new RMSS terminology.
Lifeboat Inspection (Inspection and Maintenance of Life-Saving Boats)
Weekly, monthly and the annual thorough examination of lifeboats: where most serious injuries during drills originate, and how to prevent them.
Fraudulent Certificates and Registrations: Paris MoU Guidance under Development
A discrepancy in certificates or registration is checked by verifying ship identity, flag authority and issuer through independent official sources. Retain evidence and responses; distinguish the Paris MoU guidance announced in May 2026 from procedures already applicable.
Pre-PSC Checklist
Pre-PSC preparation connects documents, actual ship condition and crew with checks under the SMS. A checklist helps assign responsibilities, identify defects and follow up action before the call.
Communicating with the PSCO
During PSC, clarify requests and any clear grounds communicated by the PSCO, answer with verifiable facts and arrange safe demonstrations. At the end, review findings and required actions together.
Concentrated Inspection Campaigns (CIC)
Thematic campaigns of reinforced inspection: how to know in advance what Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) will focus on over the coming months, and prepare accordingly.
Documentation Required on Board
Certificates and documents must be valid and available; each record book is completed promptly when the required operation, event or communication occurs, without retrospective reconstruction.
Managing Deficiencies
Each deficiency is technically described, rectified and evidenced under authority instructions; formal closure and any release remain port-State decisions.
PSC documentary preparation — passenger / ro-ro ship
An operational bridge between general PSC documents, passenger-ship requirements, the ro-ro/HSC regime and evidence of validity and rectification.
VDES and NAVDAT: the Next Generation of Digital Maritime Communications
VDES extends existing AIS/VHF data exchange and was adopted as a future shipborne alternative to AIS from 2028; NAVDAT remains a separate MF/HF broadcast system under development, without a SOLAS carriage requirement.
Next-Generation ECDIS: the S-100 Framework
MSC.530(106)/Rev.1 makes the revised S-100-capable standard voluntary for new ECDIS installations from 2026 through 2028 and required for all new installations from 1 January 2029, without universal retrofit.
Anchoring and Anchor Watch
Anchoring is not a pause from navigation: the choice of chain to pay out, monitoring for dragging, and the anchor watch itself remain safety activities in their own right.
COLREG in Practice
COLREG applies to all vessels in the waters identified by Rule 1, not only vessels under way; the non-mandatory MASS Code was adopted at MSC 111 and took effect on 1 July 2026 without amending COLREG.
Pilotage and Under Keel Clearance in Restricted Areas
SOLAS V/34 requires the voyage plan; A.893(21) develops the UKC criterion, while minimum margin and method follow authority/port requirements, Company policy, current data and ship-specific procedures.
VDR (Voyage Data Recorder)
The ship's 'black box': what it actually records, when it must be checked, and why its proper maintenance is often neglected until it is needed — too late.
Navigation in Restricted Visibility
Rule 19 applies to vessels not in sight of one another in or near restricted visibility. For a radar-only contact, Rule 19(d) qualifies the course alterations to avoid so far as possible, including the exception for a vessel being overtaken.
Watchkeeping
Navigational watchkeeping brings together fit personnel, a clear handover, continuous lookout and monitoring of the situation. The officer of the watch maintains safe navigation and calls the master when circumstances require it or whenever in doubt.
Ammonia Engines: Safety and Reliability of the First Units in Service
Ammonia-engine safety and reliability also depend on supply, containment, detection, ventilation and services. Understanding the installed arrangement, observing abnormalities and documenting response, maintenance and results supports availability assessment with comparable service evidence.
Bunkering Operations and Fuel Quality Control
Receiving fuel safely means controlling transfer, quality and traceability: planning and supervision during delivery, identifiable samples and documents, and follow-up of the batch before use.
Cyber Risk Management of Automation Systems
A digital anomaly can become a problem with machinery control. Managing cyber risk in the engine room means understanding dependencies and access, controlling changes, and preparing response and recovery that keep essential services safe.
Critical Spare Parts Management
Once critical equipment has been identified, the question becomes: if it fails today, is the spare part really on board? Critical spare parts management answers exactly that.
Planned Maintenance System (PMS) and Auxiliary Machinery
The PMS connects equipment to planned jobs, due dates and maintenance outcomes. Planned maintenance remains traceable when defects, incomplete work and deferrals are visible too.
Fire Pumps and Fixed Systems in the Engine Room
Fire pumps, the fire main and fixed engine-room systems must remain ready for use. Checks concern the ship’s arrangement: power supply, water circuit, required performance and restoration after intervention.
Purifiers and Separators (Fuel Oil / Lube Oil Purifiers)
The first line of defence against contaminated fuel and oil: why an incorrect purifier setting ripples through everything, from the main engine to the sludge balance.
Remote Inspection Techniques (RIT): Drone and ROV Inspections
RIT brings images and, where included, measurements to the surveyor from hard-to-reach parts of the structure. Understanding whether the result is usable means linking the activity, system capability, position and coverage to the required examination and its acceptance.
Coating and PSPC (Performance Standard for Protective Coatings)
Steel protection depends on coating preparation, compatibility, application and checks. In dry dock, observed condition and specification guide the repair; the CTF and records make the work verifiable.
Dry Dock Entry Planning
Dry-dock planning starts from statutory and class due dates, ship condition and yard capability; timing, scope and contingencies must be built for the specific project.
Thickness Measurement (Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement, UTM)
A UTM reading is useful when it measures the material with a suitable method and remains linked to location, reference and conditions. The report supports hull assessment; the displayed number does not itself decide acceptance.
Survey in Dry Dock
A dry-dock survey connects items to examine, preparation, evidence and acceptance. Classification and statutory certification have their own scopes and authorities; follow-up remains open until findings, repairs and documents are reconciled.
Tail Shaft Survey
A tail-shaft survey examines the propeller shaft, bearings, seals and propeller as an assembly. Understanding the installed arrangement helps prepare relevant evidence, distinguish monitoring from survey and follow defects through to an outcome accepted by class.
Rudder and Sea Chests (Sea Chests and Sea Valves)
The rudder steers the vessel; sea chests and valves connect the hull to seawater systems. A dock survey makes the condition, clearances and tightness of these components assessable, linking each finding with the required checks and restoration.
The IP Code: the Industrial Personnel Safety Certificate
The Industrial Personnel Safety Certificate and Record of Equipment connect safe carriage of industrial personnel with the ship’s regime, equipment and number of persons carried.
Annual Survey
An annual survey connects the condition of the ship and its systems with continued maintenance of the conditions required by the certificate. Documents, examinations and tests within the relevant scope support the outcome and its endorsement.
Intermediate Survey
An intermediate survey examines the items specified for the certificate and verifies their condition. The examination programme, second- or third-anniversary window and outcome must remain connected.
International Load Line Certificate
The Load Line certificate connects assigned freeboard, marks and ship condition. Validity also depends on surveys and maintained fittings, not only structural alterations.
Remote Survey Guidance: Remote Survey, ISM Audits and ISPS Verifications
MSC-MEPC.5/Circ.17 of 18 June 2026 distinguishes remote HSSC surveys, ISM audits and ISPS verifications. Eligibility, physical attendance and flag authorization depend on the activity; remote ISPS verifications are considered only in extraordinary circumstances.
Renewal Survey and Certificate Renewal
A renewal survey connects examinations, tests and documents with issue of a new certificate. Completion requires an accepted outcome and correct dates; any extensions follow their own conditions and authorisations.
Tonnage Certificate and IMO Number
The Tonnage Certificate records GT and NT; the IMO number permanently identifies the ship. Tonnage and identity are distinct data that must remain consistent across documents.
IOPP Certificate: Reading the Certificate and Supplement Together
Read the IOPP certificate and supplement together: the former records certification, the latter describes construction and equipment relevant to oil pollution prevention.
CDI-M: the Ship Inspection Report for chemical tankers, gas carriers and beyond
The CDI-M SIR, a voluntary industry scheme in its 10th Edition launched on 5 February 2024, uses a common questionnaire and ship-type Chapter 5; customers or terminals may require it contractually, but the inspection alone does not determine charter eligibility.
IMO Net-Zero Framework
The IMO Net-Zero Framework remains an unadopted draft: MEPC 84 arranged further work toward MEPC 85 and possible resumption on 4 December 2026, not finalized detailed guidelines.
Alternative Fuels and Operational Readiness
Readiness starts from the actual fuel approval route: mandatory IGF provisions for natural gas; for other fuels SOLAS II-1/55, applicable interim guidance and flag/RO requirements.
EEXI and Engine Power Limitation (EPL)
How to verify EEXI and manage EPL/ShaPoLi: calculation, technical file, power reserve and manoeuvring documents, keeping technical efficiency separate from annual CII.
SEEMP Part II and Part III
SEEMP connects energy management, DCS data collection and CII planning through three parts with distinct scopes, verification and update requirements.
Environmental Vetting and GHG Rating
RightShip GHG Rating A–E is distinct from Safety Score, inspection age trigger and charterer policies; nomination consequences require a current attributable policy.
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