The IACS Council met in London last week (C90) scheduling new dates for the introduction of revised Common Structural Rules, welcoming the establishment of IQARB as a legally constituted body and acknowledging the significant number of safety related outputs successfully delivered in 2024.
IACS revisions to the Common Structural Rules (CSR) are part of its continual ‘class cycle’ of review and improvement. C90 reaffirmed IACS’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards to ensure safety, structural integrity, and environmental protection, and meet the Goal-Based Standards (GBS) requirement for continuous improvement set by the IMO. The basis for revisions to CSR (including new wave loads, and other subsequent rule changes) will be more transparent and accurate as they are based on more scientific and validated data and include a more comprehensive and technically sound background compared to the existing CSR.
IACS Council recognised that it is vital that CSR revisions are made with all stakeholders in mind, and as part of a truly collaborative process. Revisions to the CSR will undergo an extensive scrutiny process by all stakeholders which is intentionally designed to be inclusive and transparent, allowing for widespread consultation with flag states, shipowners and shipyards. To facilitate this process, and to smooth the subsequent introduction, C90 decided to allow additional time for the development and implementation of the new CSR to allow all concerned sufficient time to comment, engage and adapt without undue pressure.
Accordingly, the new CSR are scheduled to be adopted by IACS Council on 1 July 2027 and to enter into force on 1 July 2029.
On other matters at C90, IACS Council warmly welcomed the incorporation of IQARB into a legal entity capable of delivering a common, independent, fully transparent and trusted mechanism which flag States can utilise as a tool to supplement their oversight of their ROs. Such an approach benefits Member States and maritime safety and the protection of marine environment by allowing IMO Member States to focus their time and resources on RO monitoring activities in targeted areas and on specific safety and environmental matters pertaining to their flagged ships.
C90 also reaffirmed IACS ongoing commitment to safety across the board and noted that, at MSC 109 alone, IACS provided 20% of all action papers submitted, covering major safety agenda items, including GBS, MASS, safe decarbonisation, FSA, IGC and IGF Codes, and radio.
This focus on safety was also emphasised at the traditional meeting of the IACS Council with industry where updates were provided on IACS’ work related to safe decarbonisation (especially Carbon Capture and Storage) and a safe digital transformation (data quality, MASS and Complex Systems amongst others) as well as the Association’s new strategic commitment to enhancing its focus on the human element particularly through its commitment to human centred design.
Commenting on discussions at C90, IACS Council Chair, Roberto Cazzulo, said ‘Safety related matters dominated the agenda. In a world where new technologies and fuels proliferate, managing their safe implementation and integration with the crews who sail the ships has never been more necessary. Everything starts with safe design and IACS’ revised CSR will facilitate the introduction of novel designs while our focus on human centred design will address human risk and improve ship system interfaces’.
