New safety requirements from 1 January 2026 for anchor handling winches and associated equipment
The IMO has introduced mandatory safety requirements for anchor handling winches and the associated equipment through SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13. The regulation enters into force on 1 January 2026. This news provides recommendations on how to plan for the new regulations.
Information for: Ship owners and managers as well as design offices, shipyards, suppliers and manufacturers of ships with anchor handing capabilities (e.g. tugs, offshore vessels, supply vessels)
Summary of new regulations for anchor handling winches and associated equipment
The new IMO requirements for anchor handling winches and the associated equipment will apply to vessels with a safety construction certificate (CCC, CSSC or PSSC) and to vessels with the ability to install, arrange, shift and remove anchors of offshore units and subsea installations (e.g. offshore service vessels and anchor handling tugs). The requirements are NOT related to the handling of a vessel’s own anchors.
To comply, anchor handling winches and the associated equipment must meet the following criteria:
- Be designed, constructed and installed according to the rules of the vessel’s class society or equivalent standards (non-certified equipment installed prior to 1 January 2026 does not need to be certified and may be covered by a factual statement).
- Undergo annual and 5-yearly testing and thorough examination. Occasional testing and/or examinations shall be performed when deemed necessary, e.g. to verify repairs, modifications, and alterations.
- Be subject to regular maintenance and inspection
These requirements apply upon delivery of a newbuilding, upon installation of new anchor handling winches or, at the latest, upon the first renewal survey after 1 January 2026. DNV has prepared a new survey and certification service to facilitate compliance with these requirements.
Newbuildings delivered on or after 1 January 2026
Upon delivery of the newbuilding, anchor handling winches delivered/installed on or after 1 January 2026 shall follow the new IMO requirements.
For newbuildings where the keel is laid and the anchor handling winch is delivered before 1 January 2026, the principle outlined above will also apply to anchor handling equipment certified by DNV through the Offshore Service Vessel class notation and qualifier “Anchor handling”.
Retrofit of new anchor handling winches after 1 January 2026
Any anchor handling winches installed on or after 1 January 2026 will require certification to prove compliance with the new rules.
Periodical surveys for an existing fleet
For a fleet in service, the transition to the new regime will normally apply upon the first class renewal survey completed on or after 1 January 2026.
DNV will issue a retroactive requirement (RR) to remind shipowners of the new requirements and request that they submit the relevant documentation via DATE for the anchor handling equipment on the affected vessel. DNV’s new electronic compliance documents for anchor handling winches and the associated equipment (AHW/AHWF) will state compliance with the IMO requirements and be listed as a “certificate” in Fleet Status on Veracity (for customers only). The surveys required for the implementation of the new scheme will be visible under Survey Status in the Fleet Status portal, upon opening the upcoming main class renewal survey window.
The scope of periodical surveys and tests are similar to the requirements for the current class notation qualifier “Anchor handling” or “AHTS”.
If a finding is observed and reported, it will be recorded as a remark, which is linked to the AHW/AHWF certificate. The remark will clarify whether the equipment may be used or not (depending on criticality of the finding/deficiency). An overdue remark or overdue survey shall lead to suspended use of the equipment, but not to suspension of the vessel nor to prevention of the endorsement of a statutory certificate enforcing the circular.
Harmonized surveys
Certificates issued after testing and thorough examinations will confirm compliance with SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13. To maintain harmonization after implementation, DNV has aligned the new survey requirements with class and statutory surveys. As a result, anchor handling winch surveys will be scheduled accordingly and, by default, included in survey requests for main class annual and renewal surveys. This approach minimizes the number of vessel visits and aligns activities with docking schedules, enabling more efficient testing and timely repairs.
Please note that the new SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13 also includes requirements for lifting appliances. A separate news, no. 30/2025, was published on this topic, see here.
Recommendations
- Track progress and review your vessels in the Compliance Planner available in DNV’s Fleet Status portal via Veracity.
- Order anchor handling winch and associated equipment, to be installed on board on or after 1 January 2026, with design approval and a product certificate from the vessel’s class society.
- Prepare for the first renewal survey after 1 January 2026. The required surveys will be made available in the Fleet Status portal and accessible via the main class renewal survey window.
