Important amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) were approved at IMO Maritime Safety Committee session MSC 111 and are expected to be formally adopted in December 2026.
The package matters for designers, shipyards, owners and gas carrier operators because it clarifies how the IGC Code applies in the context of alternative fuels and new cargo or propulsion arrangements. Covered topics include finite element analysis for type C tanks, carriage of CO2 cargoes, the use of LPG, ethane and toxic cargoes as fuel, cargo tank filling limits and updates to emergency shutdown cause-and-effect matrices.
The amendments use a three-date application system for new ships: construction contracts signed on or after 1 July 2028, keel laying on or after 1 January 2029 when no contract exists, or delivery on or after 1 July 2032. For existing ships, the amendments apply as appropriate, while requirements involving design or construction changes target ships built after the relevant thresholds.
For the maritime industry, the practical takeaway is that gas carrier projects now entering concept, tender or design phases should monitor the changes early. Choices around tank design, alternative fuels, class documentation and the International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Liquefied Gases in Bulk may affect both technical specifications and compliance timelines.
Source: Lloyd’s Register, Class News 10/2026, “IMO approves International Gas Code 2028 amendments”; information forwarded to ANCONAV by Gelu Stan.
Versiunea în română: Amendamentele Codului IGC din 2028: ce se schimbă pentru navele de transport gaze lichefiate