The Regulation Pipeline Is Full: MSC 111, MEPC 84, and What Comes Next

The International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) was adopted at MSC 111 (May 2026) and enters force as a non-mandatory instrument on 1 July 2026. It covers autonomous vessel design, ROC communications, cybersecurity of shipboard systems, and the retained responsibilities of the Master even under remote oversight. What matters now is not what the Code covers — it is that it is in force. Classification societies, flag states, and major shipowners are directing investment accordingly. A mandatory version follows a planned Experience-Building Phase (EBP): MSC 112 (December 2026) will re-establish the MASS Working Group; mandatory Code development begins 2028; adoption targeted by 1 July 2030; entry into force 1 January 2032.

Engineer’s action: Review the MASS Code’s fire safety, redundancy, and cybersecurity provisions. If your vessel operates in any autonomous trial corridor or alongside remotely operated vessels, understand the COLREGs implications and ROC communication protocols.

MSC 111 adopted amendments to SOLAS Chapters IV and V introducing the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) as an evolution and enhancement of the AIS data exchange framework, with mandatory carriage under SOLAS Ch. V entering into force on 1 January 2028. VDES provides up to 32 times more bandwidth than conventional AIS data channels, enabling integration with real-time engine performance data, emissions reporting, and AI-driven ship traffic management.

Engineer’s action: Note in ISM documentation; plan for VDES equipment integration alongside existing GMDSS and AIS systems in upcoming budget cycles.

MSC 111 approved the “one ship, one code” policy for vessels using alternative fuels, consolidating LNG, methanol, and hydrogen under the IGF Code. Formal adoption at MSC 112 (December 2026). Note: the IGF Code does not apply to gas carriers using ammonia as fuel — these vessels remain under the IGC Code, as clarified at MSC 111.

Engineer’s action: LNG and methanol dual-fuel engineers — review current IGF Code compliance and cross-check against interim guidelines. Ammonia-fuelled gas carrier engineers: remain under IGC Code frameworks.

MEPC 84 amended Regulation D-2 of the BWM Convention to mandate the Maximum Allowable Discharge as a verifiable performance requirement — not merely an installation benchmark. This is a regulatory change, not a PSC inspection philosophy shift. Ships must demonstrate their BWMS is achieving D-2 biological standards in operation. Performance verification is now the primary compliance focus, supplementing rather than replacing documentation review — PSC will still examine the BWM Plan, type approval certificates, BWRB entries, and maintenance records alongside operational performance data. Vessels with ageing BWMS — UV lamp degradation, sensor fouling, flow meter drift — face elevated detention risk.

Engineer’s action: Add monthly checks of UV lamp hours, flow meter calibration logs, and filter differential pressure to your personal routine. Keep sampling and treatment logs current and accessible for PSC.

MEPC 84 formally adopted the world’s largest Emission Control Area, covering the North-East Atlantic — waters off Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Portugal. MARPOL Annex VI amendments enter into force 1 September 2027. The 0.10% sulphur cap and Tier III NOx limits take effect September 2028. The ECA extends through the Exclusive Economic Zones of participating coastal States rather than encompassing the entire North Atlantic. When operational, it connects with the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Mediterranean ECAs to form a near-continuous European ECA network.

Planning action: Begin reviewing EGR/SCR system status and passage plan templates for NE Atlantic and Northern European voyages. Compliance horizon is September 2028 — begin assessment now, not at the deadline.

New Regulation 12B under MARPOL Annex I permits integrated bilge water treatment systems as an alternative to conventional oily water separators — covering ships fitted with an Integrated Bilge Water Treatment System (IBTS) and associated holding/service tanks, including forced evaporation provisions. The amendments were approved in draft at MEPC 84; formal adoption is expected at MEPC 85 (December 2026). This opens a new compliance pathway for vessels where the 15 ppm OWS is operationally difficult. Monitor class society circulars for entry-into-force details after MEPC 85.

The UK Emissions Trading Scheme extends to shipping from 1 July 2026, following the formal revocation of UK MRV on 3 April 2026. Applies to vessels ≥5,000 GT on UK-related voyages. Covers CO&sub2;, methane (CH&sub4;), and nitrous oxide (N&sub2;O) — particularly significant for LNG and dual-fuel operators where methane slip is now a financial exposure, not just an environmental one. Responsibility defaults to the registered owner but can be contractually transferred to the ISM Company. First surrender: 30 April 2028 (covering 2026 and 2027 emissions combined).

Engineer’s action: Verify the vessel’s Monitoring Plan has been updated for UK ETS. Ensure all BDNs and FORB entries are meticulous. Understand whether responsibility has been delegated to your ISM Company — and what that means for record accuracy obligations.

The FuelEU Document of Compliance (DoC) must be carried on board all applicable vessels (≥5,000 GT) trading in EU/EEA waters by 30 June 2026. PSC officers at EU ports are actively checking for this document; failure to carry it may result in PSC deficiency findings and enforcement action under FuelEU Maritime implementation rules.

Engineer’s action: Confirm with DPA that the DoC has been issued by your verifier. Cross-check THETIS-MRV for document status before next EU port call.

Marshall Islands Registry active Marine Safety Advisory 05-25: Mitsubishi Electric is discontinuing support for certain control components in Marioff Hi-Fog water mist systems — widely fitted in machinery spaces under SOLAS II-2. If spares become unavailable, the system’s operational readiness and class compliance are at risk.

Engineer’s action: Cross-check your Hi-Fog system model against the Mitsubishi affected component list. Raise a spares requisition immediately. Notify DPA and class surveyor if the system cannot be maintained in full readiness.

Japan’s GENBU container ship received ClassNK’s AUTO-Nav2(All) MASS notation on 3 April 2026 and is in commercial operation on Japanese domestic coastal routes. The technology story has been told. The operational story is what matters now: COLREGs applies to interactions with GENBU and vessels like it. If your vessel transits shared corridors, the certified autonomous vessel is no longer a hypothetical encounter.

For engineers specifically: understanding what fallback control modes an autonomous vessel exhibits, how ROC communications work, and what MASS notation categories mean in practice is becoming operational knowledge — not future-watching. The MASS Code entering force on 1 July 2026 is the regulatory event that makes this engineer’s territory, not just a navigator’s topic.

ABS published its landmark report documenting the shift from experimental AI toward embedded condition-monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated alarm-management platforms integrated into class-approved frameworks. Engineers who understand how these tools interface with class notation requirements — ABS SMART notations — will be better positioned during surveys and audits.

Actionable step: Review whether your vessel’s PMS data is being fed into any digital platform connected to your class society. Understand what data the system logs and whether it forms part of any condition-based survey agreement.

Industry data from multiple 2025–26 deployments — including ABS fleet studies, vendor deployment reports, and case studies published by class societies — consistently shows reported reductions of up to 30% in maintenance costs and improvements in vessel availability of up to 20% in selected deployments compared to interval-based approaches. ML-based anomaly detection for two-stroke marine diesel engines is now commercially available from multiple platform vendors. The core workflow: vibration, thermal, and oil analysis data feed into continuous anomaly detection models, generating early warnings that allow maintenance to be planned before failure occurs.

Engineer’s caution: AI alerts are supplementary to — not a replacement for — physical inspection. When the system flags an anomaly, cross-reference with manual readings, indicator cards, T/C performance logs, and lube oil analysis before escalating or deferring maintenance.

DNV launched SLP V2.0 at Posidonia 2026, now extended beyond bulk carriers to include general cargo and multi-purpose vessels, with automated coil planning introduced for the first time. AI-generated plans deliver a full structural assessment in under five minutes — a process previously requiring specialist manual analysis. The tool has already been deployed across 100+ vessels, making this a real-world adoption story rather than a launch announcement. Any AI-generated loading plan still requires Master/Chief Officer endorsement under SOLAS II-1 structural integrity obligations.

DGS has mandated submission of all arrival and departure FAL forms electronically through India’s Maritime Single Window (MSW) portal from 15 June 2026. Paper submissions are no longer accepted at Indian ports for covered documentation.

Engineer’s action: Ensure the vessel’s agent has MSW portal access before next Indian port call. Confirm responsible parties can submit FAL forms electronically.

DGS launched Phase 1 of the e-Samudra platform — a cloud-native system targeting consolidation of over 60 maritime services. Initial modules: chartering permissions, Ship Building Financial Assistance, MTO registration, visitor access management. Roadmap includes LMS and web-based simulators aligned with STCW, AI-based examination systems (AI-assisted examination tools being explored and piloted within the DGS digitalisation programme), and an Integrated Command and Control Centre. By 2030, DGS has flagged AI, IoT, blockchain, and geospatial tool deployment across maritime governance.

A formal MoU between DGS and C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) commits India’s maritime administration to digitise maritime processes, leverage AI for predictive analytics, deploy maritime IoT, and strengthen cybersecurity. AI-based examination reform is included — directly relevant to MEO candidates who will encounter digital assessment environments.

DGS MS Notice 3 of 2024 provides the Indian national framework for electronic MARPOL record books aligned with IMO MEPC.312(74). Electronic systems must be approved by Recognised Organisations before fitting on Indian ships. A Declaration of MARPOL Electronic Record Book is required. PSC at Indian ports can accept electronic ORBs from foreign ships carrying a valid Declaration.

Engineer’s action: If your vessel uses an electronic ORB, confirm the system carries required RO approval and Declaration. During Indian port calls, have this documentation readily accessible alongside the ORB.