Lloyd’s Register (LR) has published Class News update 14/2026, amending its Rules for welding procedures and high heat input welding to align with three Unified Requirements (UR) recently published by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).
The changes cover welding procedure qualification tests for steels used in ship hull construction and marine structures, as well as requirements for high temperature welding and base materials. The amendments also introduce updated requirements for the acceptance of existing welding procedure qualifications carried out in accordance with recognised national or international standards.
The three IACS Unified Requirements
The LR Rules have been updated to align with the following IACS Unified Requirements, which enter into force on 1 January 2027:
- UR W11 Rev.10 — Structural steels for ship hulls with normal and higher strength;
- UR W16 Rev.4 Corr.1 — High strength steels for welded structures;
- UR W28 Rev.3 — Welding procedure qualification tests for steels for ship hull construction and marine structures.
Lloyd’s Register will incorporate these revised requirements into the 1 January 2027 version of the Rules for the Manufacture, Testing and Certification of Materials (“Rules for Materials”) and the associated documents on Materials and Qualification Procedures for Ships (“MQPS Books”).
Scope of application
The changes cover, among other things, updated requirements for welding test assemblies for high heat input welding, for manufacturer approval of high-strength structural steels intended for marine and offshore structural applications, as well as normal and higher strength steel used in ship hull construction.
The requirements for welding procedure qualification tests (WPQ), the range of approved welding procedures for butt and fillet welds, and the acceptance of existing qualifications have also been updated. Welding procedure specifications (WPS) and WPQ records prepared and accepted by LR in accordance with the previous rules remain valid, subject to the applicable range and conditions.