!NEWS!

Welcome to our December Newsletter

NEW EDITIONS JUST PUBLISHED

IMSBC Code, 2025 Edition – DIGITAL VERSION ONLY

The International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC Code), adopted on 4 December 2008 by resolution MSC.268(85), entered into force on 1 January 2011, from which date it was made mandatory under the provisions of the SOLAS Convention. The present edition incorporates Amendment 08-25, which may be applied from 1 January 2026 on a voluntary basis, anticipating its envisaged official entry into force on 1 January 2027.

This publication also presents additional information that supplements the IMSBC Code, such as the Code of Practice for the Safe Loading and Unloading of Bulk Carriers (BLU Code), BLU Manual and recommendations on the safe use of pesticides in ships applicable to the fumigation of cargo holds. The IMSBC Code and supplement is commended to Administrations, shipowners, shippers and masters and all others concerned with the standards to be applied in the safe stowage and shipment of solid bulk cargoes, excluding grain.

RRP £115.00

General Rules for Tankers Owned or Operating in the USA, 2026 Edition

The new edition, comprised of the latest available US Federal regulations at the time of compilation, has been expanded and revised to incorporate recent regulatory updates, including:

Oil Cargoes
Gas Cargoes and Liquefied Flammable Gases
Noxious Liquid Substances
Control of Pollution and Hazardous Substances, including Financial Liabilities
Chemicals, Marine Pollutants, Dangerous Goods and Hazards
Ballast Water Management Requirements
Marine Casualties and Inspections
Maritime Security Requirements
Recordkeeping Requirements
Rules for the Safe Operation of Tankers including Navigation Rules
Life-Saving Appliances and Fire-Fighting Equipment
Workplace Safety and Health
Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Requirements
Vessel Inspection Alternatives
Tanker Design, Construction and Ship Stability
Port and Terminal Operations.

RRP £350.00

Crude Oil Tanker Basics, 2nd Edition

The second edition of this book has been revised and updated, covering topics ranging from the basics of crude oil chemistry to voyage fixing and record keeping. Fundamentals of cargo operations, such as calculating cargo quantities at loading and discharge, are explained in both theory and practice, with additional coverage of tank and line cleaning, stripping procedures and dealing with contingencies such as equipment failure. Practical examples and checklists are provided.

This new edition also includes expanded guidance on pumping systems, vapour emission control systems, segregated ballast systems, ballast water management arrangements and other current operational requirements for crude oil tankers. This ensures that readers are equipped with the knowledge required to perform operations fully and correctly using up-to-date methods and compliant procedures. The book is supported by many new illustrations, including photographs taken on board a new build VLCC.

RRP £95.00

Piracy Armed Robbery and Conflict At Sea, 2026-27 Edition

The Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the measures seafarers should take to protect against, prevent, respond to and recover from an incident of piracy, armed robbery or conflict at sea.

Current threat profiles and up-to-date guidance are outlined, including the latest international and regional regulatory guidance to aid seafarers in understanding the complexities of security challenges at sea and for each individual voyage. This new edition features updated piracy statistics and case studies, expanded coverage of maritime terrorism and warzones/warlike areas and new subsections on GNSS/AIS jamming and spoofing.

The second edition details the security measures needed on board to protect against attacks as well as how to create and implement a successful ship security plan, as required by the ISPS Code. It includes a brand new section on security measures in ports and the latest updates on cyber security and associated training. International and national cooperation sections have been revised with new material covering United Nations, NATO, ASEAN and SAARC Conventions among others.

Advice for navigation and passage planning in areas of high risk is also given alongside details of training programmes that should be in place for crew and onshore staff. The response section has been updated with new case studies of CBRN and WBIED attacks along with new content on decontamination incident management.

This Guide also provides step-by-step advice to be followed in the event of an attack on board including ship damage mitigation measures, medical considerations, guidance for hostage situations and preparation and response to missile, mine and drone attacks. It also outlines considerations for the ship management team, such as responding to ransom requests and media management and communication.

Annexes provided include updated reporting forms and reference checklists for each stage of an incident (protect, prevent, respond and recover), as well as revised bridge cards summarising key information and risk areas.

RRP £195.00

Suggested Minimum Content for LNG Carriers Training Courses Management Level, 1st Edition

This document supports the development of management-level training courses for LNG cargo operations, based on LNG Shipping Suggested Competency Standards. It provides guidance for training providers, ship owners and operators on designing and delivering training for cargo equipment management and deck management-level officers, as well as those preparing for promotion to these ranks.

While attendance at such courses ensures participants receive essential knowledge and understanding, full competence requires additional training and onboard experience beyond the scope of this document. The document excludes floating, storage and regasification units and emphasises the importance of regularly reviewing and updating training standards to maintain their safety function.

RRP £150.00

FUTURE NEW EDITIONS

Ships’ Routeing 2025 Edition – HARDBACK VERSION

Both the safety of shipping and the cleanliness of oceans are promoted in many ways, one of which is the continuing development of routeing measures to organize the navigation of vessels and to monitor their progress. This publication presents individual descriptions of the following routeing measures:

traffic separation schemes and inshore traffic zones;
deep-water routes;
areas to be avoided;
no anchoring areas;
other routeing measures, such as recommended tracks, two-way routes and recommended directions of traffic flow;
associated rules and recommendations on navigation;
archipelagic sea lanes; and · ship reporting systems.

This edition incorporates routeing measures that have been adopted before September 2025.

RRP £195.00

IMSBC Code, 2025 Edition – HARDBACK VERSION

RRP £115.00

IAMSAR Volume II, 2025 Edition

Mission Co-ordination volume assists personnel who plan and co-ordinate SAR operations and exercises.

This Manual is published jointly by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

RRP £89.00

Passage Planning Guide Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) – (PPG-SOMS), 2026-27 Edition

This Guide summarises essential passage planning practice, including elements local to the Straits, to help navigating officers compile an effective passage plan. It includes practical guidance for the transit with reference to manning levels, traffic, tugs, pilotage, anchorages, tidal streams, communications, etc.

Annotated chartlets, which now feature satellite imagery, are provided for each leg of the transit, illustrating aids to navigation and potential hazards to shipping. The chartlets are supported by guidance notes containing further navigational and safety information.

In preparation for this new edition, Witherbys have worked in consultation with Straits Pilots, harbour pilots, port authorities, local navigation superintendents and shipmasters transiting the Straits.

The Guide illustrates areas where high vigilance is required and lists the pre-emptive measures that should be taken by the ship. Also included are a number of case studies that examine the causes of various groundings and collisions in the Straits.

This new edition now includes information on the MPA’s Just In Time Planning and Coordination Platform, which helps to facilitate the optimal arrival and departure of vessels to and from the Port of Singapore. Vessel reporting and pre-arrival information has been updated and expanded, with the addition of helpful flowcharts to illustrate the requirements.

The tidal streams supplement, which contains high quality diagrams to provide mariners with information about the tidal conditions in the Straits, has now been incorporated into the book as an annex. Additionally, copies of the Pre-Entry Bridge Team Meeting Checklist have been inserted as perforated pages that can be torn out for ease of use. This edition also includes a handy bookmark with QR codes linking to useful PDF downloads, such as Port Marine Circulars.

Information is also taken from appropriate nautical publications and from:

Rules for Vessels Navigating through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore
STRAITREP – Mandatory Reporting Procedures
Port Marine Circulars (Singapore)
IMO assembly resolutions.

RRP £350.00

BIMCO Holiday Calendar 2026

This publication is the most trusted and unbiased source of worldwide holidays and working hours in the shipping industry. It is an essential reference when voyage planning and negotiating charter parties and to help avoid disputes with third parties.

The most significant improvements in this edition are:

Increased focus on local and regional holidays
exclusion of conditional and labour agreement holidays and greatly improved verification of entries supported by local, legal documentation to ensure reliability
holiday legislation is reflected at national, regional and municipality level.

RRP £175.00

Australia and New Zealand Biofouling, 1st Edition

This first edition details the regulatory frameworks governing the management of biofouling on ships operating in Australian and New Zealand waters. Australia’s layered federal and state regulatory systems combined with diverse port ownership structures present significant compliance challenges for shipowners, operators and agents. New Zealand’s 2023 Craft Risk Management Standard (CRMS) for Vessels is the strictest biofouling management regime in the world, backed by rigorous enforcement and the potential for substantial penalties for non-compliance.

The publication also examines the AFS Convention, port entry requirements, penalties for non-compliance and the impact of biofouling on ship hydrodynamics and operating costs. It provides practical guidance on ship inspection and cleaning, supported by a comprehensive set of data sheets for in-water hull cleaning companies, including location maps. The appendices provide a set of official checklists for in-water cleaning, the MPI Vessel Checklist and Reporting Form, the MPI Biosecurity Pre-Arrival Report, and commentary on the 2023 Biofouling Guidelines.

This is an essential guide for maritime professionals operating in or entering Australian and New Zealand waters, providing clear insight into compliance obligations and effective preparation for port entry, helping to minimise disruption, delays and unexpected costs.

RRP £95.00

Guide to Port Entry, 2026 Edition

This year’s Guide builds on decades of trust by offering more depth, more clarity and more operational support than ever before.

Across all six volumes, the 2026 edition reflects updates to over 1,600 ports, with extensive revisions to terminal data, service listings and operational notes. These enhancements ensure crews and shoreside teams are working with the most current and accurate information available in print.

We’ve also expanded coverage to keep pace with evolving port infrastructure and user needs:

110 new ports
Over 640 new terminals
4,200 additional berths
150+ new port plans

Altogether, the Guide now contains over 19,600 entries, spanning ports, terminals, subports and aliases. That includes 17,220 distinct ports, terminals and subports, and 15,250 ports and terminals with operational data to support port calls across the global fleet.

These updates ensure that the Guide continues to be a trusted source of information for safe, compliant and efficient port visits

RRP £675.00