The 108th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 108) was held from 15 to 24 May 2024. Since the minutes, resolutions and circulars of the meeting were recently released from the IMO, a summary of the decisions taken at MSC 108 is provided below for your information.

1. Adopted mandatory requirements
Mandatory requirements adopted at MSC 108 are as follows:

(1) Amendments to SOLAS regulation II-1/3-4 (See attachment 1)
Amendments to SOLAS regulation II-1/3-4 to require emergency towing arrangements on ships, other than tankers, of not less than 20,000GT were adopted. In addition, guidelines specifying specific requirements for the arrangement are under consideration by the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC) with a target completion in 2025.

Applied: ships the keels of which are laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 January 2028.

(2) Amendments to IGF Code (See attachment 3, 11)
Amendments to IGF Code regarding redundancy of pressure relief valves for liquefied gas fuel tanks, etc. were adopted as a part of the task for amendments to the IGF Code and development of guidelines for alternative fuels and related technologies. In addition, the MSC circular to invite a voluntary early implementation of 4.2.2, 8.4.1 through 8.4.3 of the amendments was also released.

Applied: ships that fall under the following:
1. for which the building contract is placed on or after 1 January 2026;
2. in the absence of a building contract, the keels of which are laid or which are at a similar stage of construction on or after 1 July 2026; or
3. the delivery of which is on or after 1 January 2030.
However, the following requirements apply also to existing ships;

(To be continued)