Significant amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) are expected to come into force on 1 July 2028.
This follows their approval at the 111th session of the IMO’s Marine Safety Committee (MSC 111) in May and are due to be adopted in December 2026.
The amendments cover a variety of issues, including:
- Clarification of the application of the “one ship, one code” discussion in relation to the use of alternative fuels on board gas carriers under the provisions of the IGC Code.
- Application of finite element analysis to type C tanks.
- Carriage of CO₂ cargoes and the use of LPG, ethane and toxic cargoes as fuel.
- Enhancement and clarification of Causes and Effects Matrix of an ESD (Emergency Shut Down).
- Cargo tank filling limits.
Applicability of amendments
The IGC Code amendments apply to existing and new ships as appropriate. However, if an amendment requires changes in a ship’s design or
construction, that amendment will only be applicable to ships constructed on or after 1 July 2028.
Consequently, a three-date application system has been agreed that defines “new ships” as those for which:
- The building contract is placed on or after 1 July 2028; or
- In the absence of a building contract, the keels are laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2029; or
- The delivery of which is on or after 1 July 2032.
Certificate of Fitness
To reflect this three-date application system, revisions have also been approved for the form of the International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk of the IGC Code.
MSC 111 confirmed that only products listed in Chapter 19 of the IGC Code should be included in the ship’s International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk and identified as cargo and/or fuel, as appropriate in the revised table of the Certificate of Fitness.
Unified interpretations
When the approved IGC Code amendments come into force, the following IMO unified interpretations will no longer apply to new ships constructed on or after 1 July 2028:
MSC.1/Circ.1543
MSC.1/Circ.1559
MSC.1/Circ.1590
MSC.1/Circ.1606
MSC.1/Circ.1617
MSC.1/Circ.1625
MSC.1/Circ.1651
MSC.1/Circ.1669
MSC.1/Circ.1679
The above will remain in effect for existing ships constructed prior to 1 July 2028.
Source: Lloyd’s Register
