Shipping Archives - The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)

Non-compliant wood packaging puts shipments at risk

Posted on September 8, 2026September 8, 2026 by News Hound

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has drawn attention to the often-overlooked risks that non-compliant wood packaging material (WPM) can pose to international cargo shipments. In a new guidance paper, IUMI examines the insurance implications of failing to comply with International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15), the international standard governing the use of wood packaging such as pallets, crates and dunnage in global trade. Continue reading “Non-compliant wood packaging puts shipments at risk”

Best practice guide how to comply with CIC 2026 on Cargo Securing

Posted on August 4, 2026August 4, 2026 by News Hound

Ahead of the 2026 Cargo Securing Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC), SQE MARINE has offered some practical guidance to help shipowners, operators and crews prepare for inspections and demonstrate compliance.

The campaign will run from 1 September to 30 November 2026 under the Paris and Tokyo MoUs, with participating vessels assessed through an additional questionnaire during routine Port State Control inspections. The Indian Ocean, Mediterranean and Black Sea MoUs have also confirmed their participation, while further MoUs may join before the campaign begins. Continue reading “Best practice guide how to comply with CIC 2026 on Cargo Securing”

India introduces new requirements for transporting plastic pellets in containers

Posted on July 22, 2026July 28, 2026 by News Hound

Plastic pellet pollution remains a concern in shipping due to incidents of nurdle spillage. West P&I Club has highlighted a circular from India’s DGS, Circular No. 19 of 2026, which introduces specific requirements for transporting plastic pellets (nurdles) in freight containers. Nurdles are increasingly recognised as an environmental risk that warrants targeted control.

In the circular, DGS said recent incidents along the Indian coastline have highlighted serious concerns regarding marine pollution caused by the loss of freight containers carrying plastic pellets at sea. Continue reading “India introduces new requirements for transporting plastic pellets in containers”

Do you know why a Ship Structural Access Manual is required onboard?

Posted on June 4, 2026June 4, 2026 by News Hound

The Ship Structural Access Manual is an essential document

Maintaining a ship’s structural condition requires regular surveys and inspections throughout its operational life and the Ship Structural Access Manual is an integral part of this process. These checks help ensure that structural components remain free from damage, such as cracks, buckling, deformation, corrosion, or thickness diminution beyond acceptable limits.

For this reason, suitable means of access to the hull structure are essential, enabling safe and effective overall and close-up inspections, as well as thickness measurements. Continue reading “Do you know why a Ship Structural Access Manual is required onboard?”

Turning embarkation and disembarkation regulations into safe practice

Posted on June 1, 2026June 8, 2026 by News Hound

A single defective ladder step, improperly secured gangway, or poorly rigged pilot ladder can turn a routine transfer operation into a serious accident within seconds as embarkation and disembarkation regulations have been neglected.

Ship operators need to always remember that safe embarkation and disembarkation operations depend not only on compliant equipment, but also on a well-implemented Safety Management System (SMS), effective crew training, and a strong safety culture onboard.

Safe embarkation and disembarkation operations remain Continue reading “Turning embarkation and disembarkation regulations into safe practice”

Black Sea MoU releases results of 2025 CIC on Ballast Water Management

Posted on May 29, 2026May 29, 2026 by News Hound

The Black Sea MoU has published the results of its 2025 CIC on Ballast Water Management.

The Black Sea MoU has released a report into the 2025 Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Ballast Water Management (BWM).

The campaign was carried out from 1 September 2025 to 30 November 2025, and it was conducted in conjunction with the Paris and the Tokyo Memoranda. It was also conducted under the campaign coordination of the Maritime Administration of Türkiye.

A total of 775 inspections were carried out covering 736 individual ships. Among these, 624 inspections were conducted using the CIC questionnaire.

Continue reading “Black Sea MoU releases results of 2025 CIC on Ballast Water Management”

CINS shares guidance on shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries in containers

Posted on May 28, 2026June 1, 2026 by News Hound

The Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS) has published a new guidance on shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries in containers by sea.

CINS Guidelines for Shipping Lithium-ion Cells and Batteries in Containers provides shipping companies, operators and carriers with safety guidance for the transport of lithium-ion cells and batteries, classified under UN Nos. 3480 and 3481, in Cargo Transport Units (CTUs). Continue reading “CINS shares guidance on shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries in containers”

Black Sea MoU publishes Port State Control Annual Report 2025

Posted on May 18, 2026May 26, 2026 by News Hound

The Black Sea MoU has released its Port State Control Annual Report 2025.

The Black Sea MoU said that in 2025 the average detention percentage rose to 6.78% — the highest level recorded since 2007.

In its Port State Control Annual Report 2025, the Black Sea MoU said its member authorities carried out a total of 5,117 inspections, representing an 11.6% increase compared to 2024. This remains approximately 3% below the ten-year average of 5,274 inspections under the New Inspection Regime, which began in 2016.

Continue reading “Black Sea MoU publishes Port State Control Annual Report 2025”

Latest guidance for shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries in containers

Posted on May 18, 2026May 26, 2026 by News Hound

Guidance for shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries in containers has been published

In response to the growing risks associated with the maritime transport and shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries, the following guidance for shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries in containers has been published. Lithium-ion cells are the core components of batteries and come in various forms, as they are widely used in portable electronics and electric vehicles because they can efficiently store and release energy through the movement of lithium ions between positive and negative electrodes. However, due to their chemical properties, lithium-ion cells and batteries are classified as dangerous goods and must be handled with care. Released against a backdrop of rising concern, the guidance comes as battery-related incidents at sea become both more frequent and more severe. Continue reading “Latest guidance for shipping lithium-ion cells and batteries in containers”

Engine retrofit market continues to prepare but not fully commit

Posted on April 28, 2026April 29, 2026 by News Hound

The future of engine retrofits will depend heavily on regulatory developments says Lloyd’s Register in its latest Engine Retrofit Report.

LR added the longer conventionally fuelled vessels remain in service, the greater the pressure will be to retrofit them later to meet emissions targets, potentially compressing demand into a narrower and more costly timeframe.

The 2026 update shows that 2025 delivered limited growth in announced retrofit projects, but significant progress in capability. Continue reading “Engine retrofit market continues to prepare but not fully commit”

DNV shares insights into post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment

Posted on April 23, 2026April 23, 2026 by News Hound

DNV shares insights into post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment

Fire incidents on ships rank among the most frequent accidents, and in recent years, fire incidents have specially increased among container and ro-ro cargo/passenger ships.

And DNV has supported many cases of post-fire structural and material assessments.

The incidents have ranged from isolated small-scale fires in cargo holds to major fires damaging the complete ship. Continue reading “DNV shares insights into post-fire ship hull structure and material assessment”

Key considerations for the carriage of cement

Posted on April 8, 2026April 8, 2026 by News Hound

The volume of seaborne cement trade continues to grow, with the most recent annual figure estimated to be over 145 million tonnes, however, the carriage of cement on conventional bulk carriers presents significant operational challenges, Britannia P&I Club explains.

According to Britannia P&I Club, bulk cement is typically carried on dedicated cement carriers or standard bulk carriers. On dedicated carriers, cement is loaded from shore silos through a pneumatic system and discharged via a closed self-unloading system, where compressed air fluidizes the cargo and a vacuum pipeline transfers it to shore—effectively minimizing dust and preventing hardening. In comparison, loading cement on conventional bulk carriers, whether in bulk or in bags, remains a much more challenging operation. Continue reading “Key considerations for the carriage of cement”

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