Blog Archives

Council of the International Association of Classification Societies reviews progress across its extensive work programme with emphasis on Decarbonisation, Digitalisation, Common Structural Rules and Quality performance.

IACS Council (C92) met in London last week to review the significant outputs from its Safe Decarbonisation and Safe Digital Transformation Panels, the progress made on the evolution of the Common Structural Rules, and to reaffirm the centrality of Quality to classification societies’ work. C92 also said a fond farewell to its outgoing Chair, Roberto Cazzulo who has now completed his term of office.

On Safe Decarbonisation, IACS Council welcomed the near finalisation of Unified Requirements (URs) for Ammonia Release Mitigation System and Approval of Lithium Batteries, alongside a recommendation for the use of Portable Tanks for Containment of Hydrogen Fuel Onboard Ships. In addition, C92 noted that URs for the Installation of Carbon Capture systems and on ESD systems and Valves on Bunkering Manifolds for methanol/ethanol Bunkering Vessels are in their final stages as is an IACS Recommendation on Guidelines for gas dispersion analysis.

IACS Council was equally satisfied with the extensive progress made by IACS’s Panel on Safe Digital Transformation noting that Recommendations on Ship Data Quality, Cybersecurity Controls for ships in service and Vessel Asset Inventory for Computer-Based Systems (CBS) have recently been completed.  These will soon be complemented by Recommendations on classification of complex systems utilising computer-based systems, a Protocol on format definition and exchange of 3D models, Risk Assessment for MASS and Communications and Remote Connectivity for MASS.

IACS Council also discussed the ongoing revision of its Common Structural Rules (CSR).  Recognising the significant progress achieved to date on the Consequence Assessment (CA) of Rule Change Proposals (RCP) for the CSR for Bulk Carriers and Oil Tankers, the Council unanimously agreed that IACS should continue its work on the CSR RCP. In line with its commitment to transparency and broad stakeholder engagement, the Council also agreed to further enhance the industry consultation with all relevant parties as the work progresses through 2026.

IACS Council undertook a strategic assessment of the Association’s Quality objectives as part of its commitment to continuous improvement and in anticipation of a number of external developments, such as new Port State Control scoring methodologies, that may impact IACS membership rules (which all Members must comply with at all times).  IACS Council also endorsed the Work Programme for IQARB for 2026 and welcomed the progress that this newly independent and legally constituted body has made in its first year of operation.

C92 marked the completion of Chair Roberto Cazzulo’s two-year term of office.  Commenting on his period as Chair of IACS Council, Roberto Cazzulo, said “Overseeing IACS’ development and delivery of a wide range of resolutions that meet the key twin challenges of decarbonisation and digitalisation has been at the core of my tenure as Chair.  These significant technical contributions demonstrate IACS’ ability to support regulators and industry and address innovative and complex regulatory and technical challenges without any reduction in the scope and speed of its more traditional work programme.”

C92 also unanimously elected Mr. Cazzulo’s successor whose name will be announced early in the New Year.

IACS was also pleased to welcome representatives from a wide range of industry associations to provide updates on matters of joint interest and to assess and advance the extensive programme of Joint Industry Working Groups established by Tripartite.

The IACS Council meets twice a year, and this was the 92^nd Council meeting since the founding of IACS in 1968. This meeting took place in London and was attended by senior management from all 12 Members.

Ends/

Contact: Robert Ashdown, IACS Secretary General
E: robertashdown@iacs.org.uk T: +44 (0) 20 7976 0660

International Association of Classification Societies
IACS Secretariat 4 Matthew Parker Street, London, England SW1H 9NP

E: secretariat@iacs.org.uk

T: +44 (0)20 7976 0660

Notes to Editors:

1. Dedicated to safe ships and clean seas, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) makes a unique contribution to maritime safety and regulation through technical support, compliance verification and research and development. More than 90% of the world’s cargo carrying tonnage is covered by the classification design, construction and through-life compliance Rules and standards set by the twelve Member Societies of IACS.
2. More information about IACS can be found by visiting iacs.org.uk and in our Annual Review available online at https://iacs.org.uk/about-us/annual-review.

Updates to Unified Requirements designed to better align with international welding standards, improve qualification standards, and ensure consistency across IACS rules

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has published revisions to its welding rules for marine and offshore structures.

The rules, known as IACS’s Unified Requirements (UR) W11, W16 and W28, have been amended in order to align high heat input welding requirements across all three URs, to improve the qualification standard for welding procedures, and to improve consistency with international standards, such as ISO 15614-1 (from the International Organization for Standardization) and AWS D1.1/D1.1M (from the American Welding Society).

The revisions to these three URs include key updates to welding procedure qualifications for marine and offshore structures. These updates are summarised below:

Harmonization with International Welding Standards

The updated UR W28 Rev. 3 aligns welding procedure qualification requirements with international standards such as ISO 15614-1 and AWS D1.1/D1.1M, ensuring global applicability and improved harmonization with industry best practices.

The revised document also ensures consistency with other IACS Unified Requirements, including UR W11 (Normal and higher strength hull structural steels), UR W16 (High strength steels for welded structures), UR W23 (Approval of welding consumables for High Strength Steels for Welded Structures), and UR W31 (YP47 steels and Brittle Crack Arrest Steels).

Expanded Qualification Requirements for Welding Procedures

The new revision introduces an explicit definition of high heat input welding, expressed in terms of energy input per unit length (kJ/cm), ensuring better control over welding conditions.

The qualification range for welding procedures has been revised to provide clear guidance on applicable base metals, welding consumables, and welding positions. The revised UR also includes updated provisions for post- weld heat treatment, ensuring that procedures remain compatible with new steel grades and their mechanical properties.

Optional Approval Scheme for High Heat Input Welding & Introduction of Annex E in UR W28

Manufacturers now have the option to seek approval for high heat input welding procedures, following a structured qualification framework.

The new Annex E in UR W28 introduces specific provisions for welding procedure qualification tests using plates with approved high heat input grade notation, ensuring that welding procedures are tested under controlled and approved conditions.

However, the qualification for high heat input welding remains valid even when using steels that have not been specifically approved for high heat input grades, provided the welding procedure follows the existing qualification scheme as defined in UR W28.

Clarification of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Timing Requirements

The revision of UR W28 now explicitly defines the required timing for NDT based on the yield strength of the steel:

• For steels with a specified minimum yield strength of 420 N/mm² to 690 N/mm², NDT must be performed at least 48 hours after welding unless post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) is applied.
• For steels with a specified minimum yield strength of 890 N/mm² to 960 N/mm², NDT must be performed at least 72 hours after welding unless PWHT is applied.

Introduction of an Optional Manufacturing Approval Scheme for High Heat Input Steels

UR W11 and UR W16 have introduced an optional manufacturing approval scheme for steels intended for high heat input welding, providing manufacturers with the possibility to certify their steels specifically for such applications. The appendices in UR W11 and UR W16 detail the qualification procedures, testing requirements, and acceptance criteria for high heat input steel certification.

Under this scheme, manufacturers may voluntarily apply for certification, confirming that their steel plates meet additional requirements for high heat input weldability. This approval scheme does not impose mandatory qualification but establishes a structured pathway for manufacturers seeking approval of steels for welding processes with heat inputs exceeding 50 kJ/cm (for normal and higher strength steels) and 35 kJ/cm (for QT steels).

Commenting on the revisions to IACS’s welding rules, Dr. Ajay Asok Kumar, IACS General Policy Group (GPG) Chair, said:

“These revisions to our Unified Requirements for welding rules were developed with feedback from steel manufacturers, shipyards, and our classification society members, ensuring practical alignment with real-world welding applications. We are confident that these important changes will ensure better alignment with international standards, greater consistency across IACS’s rules, and improved qualification standards for welding procedures for marine and offshore structures.”

For full details on the revised Unified Requirements W11, W16 and W28, visit IACS’s website at www.iacs.org.uk.

ENDS

For further information, please contact: IACS@blue-comms.com.

About IACS

Dedicated to safe ships and clean seas, the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) makes a unique contribution to maritime safety and regulation through technical support, compliance verification and research and development. More than 90% of the world’s cargo carrying tonnage is covered by the classification design, construction and through-life compliance Rules and standards set by the twelve Member Societies of IACS.

More information about IACS can be found by visiting www.iacs.org.uk and in our Annual Review available online at https://iacs.org.uk/about-us/annual-review.