Regulation Archives - Page 2 of 4

Optimising vessel operations has become crucial for the industry to achieve sustainability and decarbonisation goals. In the long term, large investments will focus on building ships ready for alternative fuels, but in the meantime, owners and operators are turning to digitalisation technologies to save fuel and emissions by becoming more energy efficient.

Owners and operators are also using faster low-latency satellite communications to tackle the challenges of retaining and retraining crew, and to keep track of growing fleets and changing trading patterns. Communications, digital applications and electronic hardware help to tackle these issues, enabling owners to offer career development pathways, almost limitless communications, and technology to make seafarer’s lives easier.

Shipping has turned to digital applications, low-latency connectivity, cloud-based solutions, artificial intelligence and machine learning, while tackling cyber risks with enhanced security.

New LEO constellations overtake established GEO

One company run by an established billionaire, who will soon be part of Trump’s new US administration, has transformed maritime satellite communications during 2024 with owners installing new technology to keep up.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX’s Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation has revolutionised maritime and offshore communications, providing fast connectivity with low latency to vessels, for crew welfare services and operational applications.

LEO satellite communications has taken the maritime sector to new heights in terms of providing connectivity and welfare support to seafarers. Starlink has become popular with the masses with shipmanagers, owners and operators increasing its deployment across fleets. Whereas two years ago, flat-panel antennas for Starlink were only just being tested, now it is difficult to find a ship without Starlink on board.

Another LEO constellation gaining traction is Eutelsat OneWeb, albeit at a slower pace, with early adoption on offshore vessels, drilling and production facilities. As this global coverage is implemented, more cruise and commercial ships will consider this as a viable alternative. Marella Cruises is investing in OneWeb to operate alongside Starlink on its cruise ships.

Despite the rise of LEO, there is still demand for reliable geostationary orbit (GEO) satellite communications and very small aperture terminal (VSAT) connectivity, but distributors are integrating these services into hybrid smart solutions, where connections will take the cost-efficient, secure pathways. There is also still a need for L-band through Inmarsat, Iridium and Thuraya for maritime safety and security communications.

Inmarsat has reacted to LEO competition by launching a combined hybrid of GEO with LEO and long-term evolution (LTE) in one package. Global container shipowners K Line and Hapag-Lloyd are testing out NexusWave with an eye to roll it out across their fleets.

Class raises requirements for cyber resilience

As the maritime industry adopts more digitalisation applications and ships become more connected, they come under greater risk of cyber attacks. Therefore, enhancing cyber resilience and security is essential to ship operators, owners and builders.

In 2024, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) introduced unified requirements (URs) for cyber security and outlined how to demonstrate compliance with them. These URs, E26 and E27, are seen as new benchmarks for shipping’s response to its growing exposure to cyber attacks.

As of 1 July 2024, updated URs E26 and E27 require newbuild vessels and their connected systems to meet certain minimum and unified cyber-resilience standards.

UR E26 is aimed at ensuring the secure integration of both operational technology (OT), information technology (IT) and equipment in a vessel’s network, during the design, construction, commissioning and operational life of the ship.

This UR targets the ship as a collective entity for cyber resilience and covers five key aspects: equipment identification, protection, attack detection, response and recovery.

UR E27 is written to support manufacturers and OEMs of onboard operational systems and equipment in evaluating and improving their cyber resilience. This has led to suppliers and system integrators introducing upgrades to ensure cyber resilience. It also encouraged classification societies to develop and introduce their own interpretations of these URs.

Introducing IACS requirements and raising awareness and demand for enhanced cyber security has led to a trend of class societies acquiring companies with these skills. One of the main deals in 2024 was DNV’s acquisition of CyberOwl, which regularly reports on the shipping industry’s risks and responses to cyber attacks.

According to a study led by CyberOwl published in Q4 2024, a typical fleet of 30 cargo vessels now experiences an average of 80 cyber incidents a year. The study found the average cost of unlocking computer systems in the maritime sector reached US$3.2M.

We can expect more advanced and integrated solutions to be unveiled and new innovative cyber threats to emerge in 2025.

Source : Riviera

BIMCO Compliant: What Does It Mean?
The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) has developed guidelines to help ship owners protect their vessels and IT systems from cyber threats and digital attacks. BIMCO is a global trade organization representing shipping companies and ship owners. Countries like the UK, Greece, Singapore, the Netherlands, Germany, the US, Japan, China, and South Korea collaborate with BIMCO to ensure compliance with international maritime rules.

What Are BIMCO’s Cybersecurity Guidelines for Ships?

Cybersecurity Policy
BIMCO recommends that ship owners and operators establish a cybersecurity policy. This policy should outline how the ship’s IT systems will be protected from cyber threats and how to handle any incidents that may arise.
Risk Assessment
BIMCO emphasizes the importance of regular cybersecurity risk assessments. These assessments help identify and address potential risks and vulnerabilities in systems such as communication, navigation, electronic cargo documents, and payment transactions.
Preventive Measures
To protect their systems, BIMCO advises ship owners to install firewalls, encrypt data, use strong authentication methods, and keep security updates up to date.
Training and Awareness
Educating staff and crew on cybersecurity is crucial. Ship owners should ensure that their employees can recognize potential threats, such as phishing attacks, and know how to respond to various cybersecurity incidents.
Incident Management
BIMCO recommends preparing a comprehensive plan for handling cyberattacks. This includes reporting incidents to the appropriate authorities, isolating affected systems, and restoring operations as quickly as possible.
Security for Suppliers
Since ships often rely on third-party suppliers for IT services and equipment, BIMCO advises ensuring that these suppliers also meet cybersecurity requirements and implement adequate security measures.
Certification and Compliance
BIMCO encourages shipping companies and ship owners to comply with international cybersecurity standards, such as the IMO Cybersecurity Code, and other relevant maritime regulations.

Why Is This Important?

BIMCO’s cybersecurity guidelines provide ship owners and operators with a robust framework for managing cyber risks. By following these guidelines, ships can reduce their vulnerability to cyberattacks and maintain safe and efficient operations.

For ship owners, using a BIMCO-certified IT platform ensures that your IT infrastructure meets the latest security standards and international cybersecurity regulations. This minimizes the risk of cyberattacks, operational downtime, and legal issues while strengthening trust with business partners and authorities. Additionally, it simplifies incident management and ensures compliance with maritime regulations.

Ship Execution Plan (SEP)

India aims to reduce ships’ use of single-use plastic by 90% during stays in Indian ports in the next 12 months.

On 16 October 2019, the Indian Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) issued Order No.05 of 2019 prohibiting the use of single-use plastic items onboard ships. The order prohibits the carriage of any such items onboard Indian flagged ships while foreign flagged ships are only prohibited from using any such item while at places or ports in India.

While the initial plan was to implement the order in full by 1 January 2020, DGS later decided to postpone its implementation, to allow the shipping industry time to put in place the logistical arrangements needed to comply with the new requirements.

The following changes and clarifications to the original order should be noted:

Definition of single-use plastics

The original order defines single-use plastics as “disposable plastics which are used only once before they are thrown away”. The Addendum further clarifies that the prohibition applies only to such items used onboard ships and which are completely made of plastics. DGS provides the following examples of items not covered by the prohibition:

tetra pak cartons with plastic caps as used for milk and juice;
dispensers for liquids such as shampoo, cleaning products, etc. when these are repeatedly re-used/re-filled onboard and not discarded after single use;
items made of biodegradable plastic with a stamp, mark or certificate from the manufacturer or something similar;
cargo related items and packaging;
essential equipment such as personal protective equipment, medical equipment, lifesaving appliances and fire-fighting equipment; and
for the time being, crew and passenger personnel effects.

Please refer to the original order for a generic list of single-use plastic items covered by the prohibition.

New phase-out schedule – Ship Execution Plan (SEP)

All ships are eventually required to reduce their single-use plastic use by 90% during stays in Indian ports. This will be achieved by a stepwise implementation of the prohibition and will be based on ship type and each ship’s actual inventory of single-use plastic items. To summarise:

All ships when at Indian ports or places must be able to present an inventory list identifying all single-use plastic items onboard that are covered by the prohibition. The deadline for establishing the inventory list is 31 January 2020 for cargo ships and 31 March 2020 for passenger ships.
An inventory list should identify the different types of single-use plastic items onboard but need not specify the actual number of each item onboard. As an example, the DGS explains that all plastic bags irrespective of size will be considered as one single-use plastic item.
For cargo ships, 50% of the items in the inventory list will be prohibited from 1 April 2020, 75% from 1 July 2020 and 90% from 1 October 2020.
Passenger ships are given two extra months to comply with each step of the phase-out schedule.
Ship operators are free to decide which items in the inventory list to place in each ‘phase-out category’ and can therefore prioritize based on each ship’s operational requirements and crews’ needs.

The DGS states that the inventory list, once prepared, should not be changed unless there is a need to correct the list.

In accordance with the above order a “Ship Execution Plan” should be available onboard in order to provide guidance on crew for Single use plastics, and to list such items to inventories.

The following types of inventories should be created regarding Single Use Plastics:

Initial Inventory (Single Use plastics onboard on 31st January 2020)
10 % Inventory (these items will be used onboard at the end of implementation date)
Inventory A – 50% of items of initial inventory which will not be used after 1st April 2020
Inventory B – 75% of items of initial inventory which will not be used after 1st July 2020
Inventory C – 90% of items of initial inventory which will not be used after 1st October 2020.

A Single Use Plastic Log is to be completed by the ship when entering or departing Indian waters, ports or places with an attached list of Single Use Plastics onboard.

Ship Execution Plan (SEP)

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EU Ship Recycling Regulation

Vessels over 500gt in EU waters will be required to carry a verified Inventory of Hazardous Materials on board…

Facilitating ratification of the IMO’s Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) aims to regulate the ship-recycling industry to ensure that end-of-life vessels are dismantled safely, with minimum impact to human health and the environment.

The regulation requires that any ship of 500gt and above, of any flag calling at an EU port or anchorage, will require a Certificate of Compliance (if EU flagged) or Statement of Compliance (if non-EU flagged) supplemented by a verified Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) by the 31 December 2020.

The Certificate of Compliance means, among other things, that the vessel shall only be sent to recycling facilities included in the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities at the end of its life. The IHM provides ship-specific information on the actual hazardous materials present on board in order to protect health and safety and to prevent environmental pollution at ship-recycling facilities.

Many flag states have delegated the authority for the verification of compliance to their respective classification societies. As such, Lloyd’s Register has been supporting stakeholders throughout the recycling supply chain to ensure all activities are environmentally sound, compliant and safe.

Lloyd’s has reported an enormous uptake in on-board IHM certification as a consequence of the regulation and states that the demand put on certified material samplers will grow significantly in the near future. However, Lloyd’s advises that those requiring certification should make sure there is no conflict of interest, which has become apparent with some offerings of IHM certification.

“Flag and port states might be wary of IHM certification or statements, particularly when the required sampling of materials and certification is done by the same company – it is recommended to keep these clearly separate,” explains Engel de Boer, yacht segment manager at Lloyd’s Register.

SOURCE READ FULL ARTICLE

Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)

While much of the shipping world’s attention is focused on IMO’s sulphur cap entering into force on 1 January 2020, there is another important date for shipping coming up in the diary in 2020!

December 2020 will be a key month for the EU’s Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR). Adopted in 2013 and aimed at reducing negative environmental impacts associated with recycling ships flying the flags of EU member states, the regulation sets out requirements that ships and recycling facilities must fulfil.

A key element of this is the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM), which since 31 December 2018 has been required for newly contracted vessels with a gross tonnage of 500 or more flying the flags of EU member states. From 31 December 2020, this requirement will be expanded to the existing EU fleet. But owners of non-EU flagged vessels also need to have an understanding of the SRR and IHM process as, from 31 December 2020, equivalent non-EU flagged vessels calling at EU ports or anchorages will also be required to carry and maintain an IHM.

The elements of the SRR relating to vessels coming to the end of their working life, applying to ships flying the flag of EU being sent for recycling, have been in force since 31 December 2016. Before delivery to a recycling facility, vessels should have parts 1, 2 and 3 of the IHM completed in order to receive an International Ready for Recycling Certificate from their class society.

The IHM covers fifteen substances and is aimed at controlling and documenting hazardous materials on board ships. It requires expert knowledge to compile and will be produced by a third-party inspection specialist and validated by class.

Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)

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The new IMO global sulphur cap requirements enter force on 1^st January 2020 and a robust and consistent approach to compliance is expected by all Port State Control (PSC) regimes. PSC inspections will be carried out in accordance with the IMO PSC procedures, the 2019 guidelines for PSC under MARPOL Annex VI.

In order to establish whether a ship is in compliance, PSC inspectors will likely focus their attention on documents and procedures maintained on board. In certain jurisdictions PSC inspectors will carry portable sulphur testing kits and if the results of these tests are inconclusive or indicate potential non-compliance then additional sampling will take place for verification ashore.

It is important therefore that ships’ crews are aware and familiar with the new regulations, associated documentation and procedures and are able to confidently demonstrate this knowledge to a PSC inspector.

Bunker Delivery Notes (BDNs) and Fuel Sampling

Details of fuel delivered on board for combustion purposes should be recorded by means of a BDN. The BDN should be accompanied by a Representative Sample of the fuel delivered – the MARPOL Sample. Most ships will also take commercial samples in the normal way. The Representative Sample is to be sealed and signed by the supplier’s representative and the Master (or senior officer in charge of the bunker operation) on completion of bunker delivery and retained on board until the fuel has been substantially consumed, but in any case for a period of not less than twelve months from the time of delivery. BDNs and associated samples should be easily identifiable and filed properly on board. BDNs should be retained on board for at least three years after the fuel has been received on board.

There are two locations where fuel sampling might be required by PSC: (1) downstream of the fuel oil service tank and (2) the storage tanks, “in use” and “on-board” respectively. In accordance with ISO 4259-2: 2017, and allowing for a 95% confidence limit, the maximum amount of sulphur allowed in these samples is 0.11% m/m for ECA fuel and 0.53% m/m for global fuel.

In situations where the Commercial Samples (taken during bunkering) indicate a higher sulphur content than noted on the BDN then the flag administration and PSC at destination need to be notified in writing without delay. Note that the ship will have likely sailed by the time these test results are known. In the event of any further investigation by PSC, the Representative Sample (MARPOL sample) will be used by PSC for further verification procedures and the ship may be ordered to de-bunker the fuel at the next port.

SOURCE : MARINE INSIGHT

India has decided to act on reducing plastic litter pollution and has introduced a ban on the use of single-use plastics onboard calling vessels.

The ban will require some items to be locked away and introduces a new requirement for recording all single-use plastics onboard vessels. The ban applies to all Indian vessels and to foreign flag vessels calling at Indian ports.

The ban will take effect in two stages – the first effective immediately and the second stage on 1 January 2020.

The immediate ban applies to single-use plastic items used as:

Cutlery, plates and cups
Water and other drinks bottles up to 10 litres
Garbage and shopping bags
Dispensing containers for cleaning fluids which are less than 10 litres.

Taking effect from 1 January 2020, the following single-use plastics are prohibited:

Bags, trays, containers, food packaging film
Milk bottles, freezer bags, shampoo bottles, ice cream containers
Bottle for water and other drinks, dispensing containers for cleaning fluids, biscuit trays
Hot drink cups, insulated food packaging, protective packaging for fragile items
Microwave dishes, ice cream tubs, potato chip bags, bottle caps.

The North of England P&I club has advised that enforcement will be done by Port State Control and that affected plastic items must be stored prior entering Indian territorial waters. Vessels calling at Indian ports are required to make a log entry identifying the ‘Single Use Plastic Items’ on board the ship, along with the onboard location of where these items are stored, and the time and ship’s position of when this is done. No single use plastic items are to be discharged to a port reception facility at Indian ports.

PSC inspectors may verify compliance with this regulation as part of a PSC inspection. However, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has stated that no detentions of foreign ships will be enforced. A handwritten deficiency in the printed PSC Form ‘B’ (to be rectified prior departure) may be issued.

22nd October 2019

1. The primary regulations impacting the inventory of hazardous materials are as follows:
a) The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound
Recycling of Ships, not yet in force, and
b) The European Regulation No. 1257/2013 on Ship Recycling (EU SRR), having already
entered into force in December 2016, regulates the safe and environmentally sound
recycling of EU flagged vessels but also expanding to cover non-EU flagged vessels of
their last voyage from EU waters.

2. The Hong Kong International Convention covers the design, construction, operation and
preparation of ships, to facilitate sustainable ship recycling without compromising safety and
operational efficiency. EU SRR closely follows the text of HKC and is designed to facilitate
early adoption of the Convention.

3. The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound
Recycling of Ships.

4. The Hong Kong Convention was adopted in May 2009. After the entry into force of the
Convention, the development and maintenance of an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM),
which identifies the amount and location of hazardous materials onboard a ship, will be
required for all ships over 500 GT. Furthermore, ships shall only be recycled at ship recycling
facilities authorized in accordance with the Convention.

5. Essential to the implementation scheme of the Hong Kong Convention and the EU SRR is
the development and maintenance of a document referred to as the Inventory IHM, listing the
type and amount of hazardous materials and their location on board. An IHM must be thorough
and ship specific and updated throughout the life of a vessel to support an effective plan to
discard hazardous materials.

6. Upon entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention all vessels to which this circular applies
should be certified in accordance with the requirements of the Convention. This Administration
recommends the early preparation of the IHM in order to smoothly implement the requirements
of the Convention after its entry into force.
IHM should be completed taking into account the relevant IMO guidelines and it should be
verified by a Recognized Organization to this Administration.
1/2

7. The EU Regulation No 1257/2013 on Ship Recycling (EU SRR)

8. EU adopted Regulation (EU) No. 1257/2013 which brings into force an early implementation
of the requirements of the Hong Kong Convention for the development and maintaining IHM,
including requirements for foreign or non-EU flagged ships.
The EU SRR will affect the owners of non-EU-flagged vessels calling at EU ports or
anchorage earlier than the Hong Kong Convention.

9. This requires a foreign or non-EU-flagged vessels of 500 GT and more, including
submersibles, floating crafts, floating platforms, self-elevating platforms, Floating storage units
(FSUs), and Floating Production Storage and Offloading Units (FPSOs), including a vessel
stripped of equipment or being towed, calling at EU ports or anchorages, to have onboard
a verified IHM, that identifies at least the hazardous materials required by the EU
Regulation, and a Statement of Compliance at the earliest by 31 December 2020.

10. It is important to note that, currently, any non-EU flagged vessel having a last voyage that
either starts from an EU port, or transits through an EU port, is subject to EU Waste Shipment
Regulation (and not the EU SRR). Therefore owners are advised to contact relevant EU port
authorities well in advance of the last voyage their vessel for further information.

11. Ship owners/ Ship operators/Managers and masters are required to take note of the above.
It is strongly recommended that owners and operators of existing vessels with IHMs start
planning to comply with EU SRR well ahead of December 2020 in order to avoid delays.

Revision History: Rev 1; Paragraphs 2,3,4,6,7,8,9 and 10 have been revised.

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES CIRCULAR N° GEN 024 - Rev.1 (15.3 KiB, 1,284 hits)

BIMCO aims to publish cyber security clause in spring 2019

Overview

BIMCO is developing a clause dealing with cyber security risks and incidents that might affect the ability of one of the parties to perform their contractual obligations.

The clause is being drafted by a small team led by Inga Froysa of Klaveness, Oslo. Other companies involved include Navig8, the UK P&I Club and HFW, and the project is due to be completed in May 2019.

Planning and protecting is key

The BIMCO cyber security clause requires the parties to have plans and procedures in place to protect its computer systems and data, and to be able to respond quickly and efficiently to a cyber incident.

Mitigating the effect of a cyber security breach is of paramount importance and the clause requires the affected party to notify the other party quickly, so that they can take any necessary counter-measures. The clause is also designed for use in a broad range of contracts. This way, the clause can cover arrangements with third-party service providers, such as brokers and agents.

The liability of the parties to each other for claims is limited to an amount agreed during negotiations. A sum of USD 100,000 will apply if no other amount is inserted.

Two important functions

The clause will fulfill two important functions. The first is to raise awareness of cyber risks among owners, charterers and brokers. The second is to provide a mechanism for ensuring that the parties to the contract have procedures and systems in place, in order to help minimize the risk of an incident occurring in the first place and, if it does occur, to mitigate the effects of such an incident.

In the early stages of development, the drafting team discussed if the clause should also address payment fraud. It was concluded that the risk of this increasingly common fraud is probably best dealt with at a procedural level by companies tightening up their internal payment procedures to require verification of any changes to payment details.

BWMS type approval !

The Coast Guard Marine Safety Center received its 20th application for Ballast Water Management System type approval for the Aquarius UV Ballast Water Management System manufactured by Wärtsilä Water Systems Ltd.

MSC will review the application for compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations in 46 CFR 162.060. Once it has been determined that the application meets the requirements, the MSC will issue a type approval certificate.

BWMS type approval applications and approval certificates are posted on MSC’s website. The list will be updated frequently in order to provide industry and the general public the most current information regarding the status of each application.

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Regulation Archives - Page 2 of 4 - SHIP IP LTD

2024 in maritime technology: digitalisation, connectivity, decarbonisation, AI and cyber risks predominate

Cyber Security – BIMCO Compliant: What Does It Mean?

Ship Execution Plan (SEP) IN WORD FORMAT

Industry prepares for EU Ship Recycling Regulation

What you need to know about the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)

New Guidance For IMO Global Sulphur Cap 2020 Compliance & All PSC Inspection Regimes

Bunker Delivery Notes (BDNs) and Fuel Sampling

India to ban single use plastic on all calling ships

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES CIRCULAR N° GEN 024 – Rev.1

BIMCO aims to publish cyber security clause in spring 2019

BIMCO aims to publish cyber security clause in spring 2019

Overview

Planning and protecting is key

Two important functions

Marine Safety Center receives 20th application for BWMS type approval

News

Navigating Rising Maritime Purchasing Expenses in 2025

Recent Cybersecurity Incidents and Regulatory Developments in the Maritime Industry (March 2025)

Navigating Maritime ESG: Upcoming Regulations and Compliance Strategies

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