IMO Publications

International Convention for Safe Containers, 1972 (CSC 1972) 2014 Edition (IC282E)
The International Convention for Safe Containers, 1972 (CSC 1972) has two goals: to maintain a high level of safety of human life in the transport and handling of containers, by providing acceptable test procedures and related strength requirements, and to provide uniform international safety regulations, equally applicable to all modes of surface transport, thereby avoiding the proliferation of divergent national regulations.

The amendments to CSC 1972 adopted by resolution MSC.355(92) entered into force on 1 July 2014 and include: new definitions at the beginning of annexes I and II, along with consequential amendments to ensure uniform usage of terminology throughout CSC 1972; amendments to align all physical dimensions and units to the SI system; the introduction of a transitional period for marking containers with restricted stacking capacity, as required under the relevant standard; and the inclusion in annex III of the list of deficiencies which do not require an immediate out-of-service decision by the control officer but do require additional safety measures to enable safe ongoing transport.

International Convention on Load Lines 1966 Consolidated 2021 Edition
The International Convention of Load Lines 1966. adpoted by the International Conference on Load Lines on 5 April 1966, entered into force on 21 July 1968 and has been modified by the 1988 Protocol relating thereto and amended by Assembly and Maritime Safety Committee resolutions over the past 50 years.

This 2021 edition includes up-to-date, consolidated text in line with the amendments adopted up to 1 July 2021, as well as updated unified interpretations that have been keyed to relevant articles and regulations.

IMO Publication International SafetyNet Manual

SafetyNET is an international automatic direct printing satellite-based service for the promulgation of Maritime Safety Information (MSI), navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts, Search and Rescue (SAR) information and other urgent safety-related messages to ships and fulfils an integral role in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). This Manual describes the structure and operation of the International SafetyNET Service. leaks xxx acb26 It is intended primarily for national Administrations and registered information providers, but may also be useful to the mariner who requires more operational information than is found in manufacturers equipment manuals.

IMO Publication ISM Code and Guidelines

The International Safety Management (ISM) Code with guidelines for its implementation provides an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention. It is an essential reference for maritime administrations, shipowners and operators, shipping companies, training providers and education institutes, shipbuilders, engine and equipment manufacturers and others with interest in ensuring safety at sea and prevention of damage to the environment.

This publication includes the texts of SOLAS chapter IX and the ISM Code. Additionally, Guidelines for the operational implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Companies, Guidance on the qualifications, training and experience necessary for undertaking the role of the designated person under the provisions of the ISM Code, Guidance on near-miss reporting, Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management and resolution MSC.428(98) on Maritime Cyber Risk Management in Safety Management Systems are included.

IF982E Life-Saving Appliances Including LSA Code

IF982E- This publication contains the three most important IMO instruments dealing with life-saving appliances, namely the International Life- Saving Appliance (LSA) Code, the Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances and the Code of Practice for Evaluation, Testing and Acceptance of Prototype Novel Life-Saving Appliances. It provides international requirements for the life-saving appliances required by chapter III of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, including personal life-saving appliances like lifebuoys, lifejackets, immersion suits, anti-exposure suits and thermal protective aids; visual aids, such as parachute flares, hand flares and buoyant smoke signals; survival craft, such as life rafts and lifeboats; rescue boats; launching and embarkation appliances and marine evacuation systems line throwing appliances; and general alarm and public address systems.

IB560E Manual on Oil Pollution (Section II) 2018 Edition

This publication aims to assist governments in establishing a national oil spill response system and, in developing or revising their national oil spill contingency plans. The manual also includes information related to contingency planning for offshore installations, sea ports and oil handling facilities.

IA566E Manual on Oil Pollution (Section III) 1997 Edition

The Manual on Oil Pollution currently consists of four sections (sections V and VI are imminent), some of which have already been revised since they were first published. Section III - Salvage was first published in 1983 and has now been extensively revised by the MEPC to extend its coverage to include substances other than oil.

Section III of the Manual is intended to be used in conjunction with the national contingency plan that will have been prepared as described in the recently revised section II - Contingency Planning. The guidance in section III will help Administrations and officials involved with oil pollution casualties effectively to mitigate the effects of accidents, whether there is a spillage from a tanker or the release of bunkers from dry cargo vessels or passenger vessels.

Manual on Oil Pollution Section VI

I578E - The IMO Guidelines from Sampling and Identification of Oil Spills are intended to provide guidance to Governments, including those of developing countries, on the techniques, equipment and strategies for sampling oil to identify unknown sources of spilled oil. Although references are given for the laboratory methods required for analysis, the emphasis in this text is on the details of the field work required to collect the samples.

ID664E Marpol Annex VI and NTC 2008 2023 Edition

MARPOL Annex VI, Regulations for the prevention of air pollution from ships, covers the requirements in respect of both emissions to air (chapter 3) and energy efficiency (chapter 4). The requirements for control of nitrogen oxides (NOx), given by chapter 3, are supplemented by the mandatory NOx Technical Code 2008 which covers the testing, survey and certification of marine diesel engines.

Also contained are the current versions of the Guidelines and other information
relevant to the application of MARPOL Annex VI and the NOx Technical Code 2008.
These include all those related to:
exhaust gas cleaning systems;
the energy efficiency aspects of chapter 4; and
selective catalytic reduction systems.

This publication is intended to be of use to maritime administrations, recognized
organizations, shipping companies, classification societies, educational institutes,
shipbuilders and equipment manufacturers together with others with an interest
in the prevention of air pollution from ships and in the technical and operational
measures to improve the energy efficiency of ships.

IMO Publication MARPOL Consolidated Edition

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 (MARPOL Convention), is concerned with preserving the marine environment through the prevention of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances.

Its technical content is laid out in six Annexes, the first five of which were adopted by the 1973 Convention, as modified by a 1978 Protocol. These Annexes cover pollution of the sea by oil, by noxious liquid substances in bulk, by harmful substances in packaged form, by sewage from ships, and by garbage from ships. Annex VI was adopted by a further Protocol in 1997 and covers air pollution from ships.

Marpol How to Do It

IB636E - This manual provides useful, practical information to Governments, particularly those of developing countries, on the technical, economic and legal implications of ratifying, implementing and enforcing the MARPOL Convention and its Annexes.

Procedures for Port State Control 2023 2024 Edition
Port State control inspections contribute to ensuring that global maritime standards are being implemented consistently on all ships. This publication provides guidance for port State control officers on the conduct of inspections to support harmonization in the way inspections are carried out worldwide.

This edition includes amendments to Guidelines for the detention of ships (appendix 2) and Guidelines for port State control under MARPOL Annex VI (appendix 18), and new Guidelines for inspection of anti-fouling systems on ships (appendix 19).

II927E Ships Routeing 2025 Edition

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.

SOLAS Consolidated 2024 Edition

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, better known as SOLAS, covers a wide range of measures designed to improve the safety of shipping and is considered to be the most important convention dealing with maritime safety.

This publication commemorates the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the 1974 SOLAS Convention.

This edition of the publication presents a consolidated text of the Convention, its Protocol of 1988 and all amendments that have entered into force on or before 1 July 2024. Additionally, this edition includes the unified interpretations of SOLAS regulations approved by the Maritime Safety Committee.

ID938E STCW including 2010 Manila Amendments 2017 Edition

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW Convention), aims to promote safety of life and property at sea and protection of the marine environment by establishing international standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers.

This publication contains the Final Act of the 2010 Conference of Parties to the 1978 STCW Convention, resolutions adopted by that Conference, and a complete, consolidated text of the STCW Convention, including its original articles, revised annex and supporting STCW Code.

This edition incorporates the 2014 amendments (MSC.373(93) and MSC.374(93)), the 2015 amendments (MSC.396(95) and MSC.397(95)) and the 2016 Amendments (MSC.416(97) and MSC.417(97)).

Also a useful guide for students.