IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 12)
The 12th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 12) took place from 9 to 13 March 2026. SSE 12 progressed measures to strengthen the detection and control of fires in containerships and set a path for further work on the fire safety for vehicle carriers transporting new-energy vehicles. It was further agreed to develop interim guidelines for the safety of ships using battery energy storage systems, supporting efforts to reduce GHG emissions from ships.
Information for: Ship owners, managers, seafarers, maritime training institutes, and flag states.
FIRE PROTECTION MATTERS
Revision of the 2010 Fire Test Procedure Code
The 2010 Fire Test Procedure (FTP) Code specifies test procedures to be used by laboratories when testing and evaluating products (for example bulkheads, ceilings, doors, surface materials and penetrations) that are required to comply with the fire safety requirements of the SOLAS Convention.
SSE 12 progressed a revision of the 2010 FTP Code to accommodate new fire protection systems and materials, based on experience gained since its entry into force in 2012.
SSE 12 agreed to draft amendments to the 2010 FTP Code to introduce test procedures for plastic pipes in Annex 1 Part 6 of the 2010 FTP Code and to refer to the “Guidelines for the Application of Plastic Pipes on Ships” (Resolution A.753(18)), as amended in a footnote. As SOLAS does not currently address the application of plastic pipes, the new draft Annex 1 Part 6 will be non-mandatory.
It was further agreed that test procedures relating to the following systems and materials should be developed for inclusion in Annex 1 Part 3 the 2010 FTP Code:
- Horizontal A-class hatches
- “H”-class divisions
- Multipurpose penetrations/transits
The work will continue in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027.
Revision of SOLAS Regulation II-2/9 on the containment of fire
SOLAS Regulation II-2/9 focuses on the containment of fire on ships, in other words to ensure that a potential fire is contained within the space where it originated by providing requirements to fire integrity and the insulation of boundaries, including openings and penetrations within those boundaries.
Since the adoption of the current regulation in 2000, numerous Unified Interpretations have been developed.
SSE 12 agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation II-2/9 on the containment of fire to incorporate these existing guidance documents into the regulatory text to ensure consistent implementation and provide a single source of applicable requirements.
Consequential work, including consideration of application provisions and consequences for existing MSC circulars, will continue in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 (March 2027).
Containership fire safety
Several serious fires in the cargo area on containerships have exposed technical challenges related to locating, containing and fighting fires in containers, but also to operational challenges like misdeclaration of cargoes.
SSE 12 made good progress on enhancing the fire safety level for container carriers, including:
- Agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation II-2/7 to introduce requirements for portable infrared (IR) thermal imagers, suitable for screening containers and detecting hot areas
- Agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation II 2/10.7.3.1 on functional requirements for water mist lances; existing ships may use the old or new type of water mist lances
- Agree on draft guidelines for the design, performance, testing and approval of water mist lances, including means for extended reach
The draft amendments to SOLAS and the draft guidelines are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2032, together with other draft amendments to enhance the fire safety on containerships.
Other measures for the detection and control of fires in cargo holds and on cargo decks of containerships will be considered in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 (March 2027).
Carriage of new-energy vehicles
An increasing number of electrical vehicles and other new-energy vehicles are being carried on board ships, and the IMO has agreed to consider whether there is additional fire risks involved, for example related to the carriage of lithium-ion battery vehicles.
SSE 12 revised the action plan to evaluate the adequacy of fire protection, detection and extinction arrangements in vehicle, special category and ro-ro spaces in order to reduce the fire risk of ships carrying new-energy vehicles.
The group agreed to give priority to the development of the following guidelines before developing any draft amendments to SOLAS:
- Interim guidelines on fire safety measures for vehicle carriers (Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs))
- Interim guidelines for video monitoring and detection systems
The work will be progressed in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027.
Any agreed draft SOLAS amendments are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2032, at the earliest.
CO2 fire-extinguishing systems
SSE 12 reviewed the “Revised guidelines for the maintenance and inspections of fixed CO2 fire-extinguishing systems” (MSC.1/Circ.1318/Rev.1) with respect to periodical test requirements for low-pressure and high-pressure CO2 systems.
Revision 1 of the circular was published in 2021 and redefined the hydrostatic test regime so that 10% of the total number of CO2 cylinders shall be tested after 10 years, 100% after 20 years and 100% after 30 years, so that all cylinders (100%) will be tested at every 10-year anniversary.
To address the risk of accidental releases of CO2 into machinery spaces and CO2 cylinder rooms, SSE 12 agreed on several clarifications and updates, including:
- Clarifying the scope of hydrostatic testing for high-pressure CO2 cylinders when this is carried out before the 20-year anniversary
- Defining the anniversary date as the date of the manufacture of the cylinders
- Requiring a simulated functional test whenever the system is modified or components are changed
The draft amendments will be submitted to MSC 112 (December 2026) for approval, and flag states will be invited to apply the revised circular no earlier than 12 months after its approval.
Gaskets in gas fire extinguishing systems
Paragraph 2.1.2.5 of Chapter 5 of the FSS Code requires all discharge piping components, including gaskets, to withstand 925°C. However, other IMO instruments for other types of fire extinguishing systems explicitly exempt gaskets from such requirements.
SSE 12 agreed on draft amendments to paragraph 2.1.2.5 of Chapter 5 of the FSS Code to exclude gaskets from the requirement to be constructed of materials having a melting temperature which exceeds 925°C. The draft amendments will be applicable to both new and existing ships.
The draft amendments will be submitted to MSC 112 (December 2026) for approval and are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2032, following subsequent adoption by MSC 113.
Prohibition of PFAS for firefighting foams
MSC 107 adopted amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 and the HSC Codes (1994 and 2000) to prohibit the use of firefighting foams containing perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The requirements entered into force on 1 January 2026, and existing ships are required to comply with the new requirement no later than the first survey after this date.
SSE 12 also considered prohibiting the use of firefighting foams containing fluorinated substances (PFAS), in addition to PFOS, for firefighting on board ships.
The work will be continued in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027.
LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES MATTERS
Ventilation of survival craft
MSC 107 adopted amendments to the LSA Code to mandate ventilation of totally enclosed lifeboats. The amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2026 and be applicable to survival craft installed on or after 1 January 2029.
SSE 12 progressed a new draft paragraph 4.5.5 of the LSA Code to include similar ventilation requirements, also for partly enclosed lifeboats. The new draft paragraph requires also partially enclosed lifeboats to be provided with means to admit sufficient air to prevent a CO2 concentration of more than 5,000 ppm. One practical solution is an active ventilation of 5 m3/hour per person; however, other options may also be used to comply with the requirement.
The work will continue in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027.
Revision of SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code
The IMO has agreed to revise SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code to remove gaps, inconsistencies and ambiguities and to restructure the requirements to a goal-based format. The goal-based structure intends to capture safety objectives, functional requirements and generic requirements (expected performances) within SOLAS Chapter III, and Tier IV technical requirements within the LSA Code.
The following phases have been defined to structure the work:
- Alarm
- Proceed to embarkation
- Embarkation
- Abandoning to safe position
- Waiting for rescue
- Retrieval from survival craft
- Person in water
- Retrieval from water
- Transfer of person
Currently, functional requirements have been drafted for Phases I to III. SSE 12 considered working arrangements to progress the draft functional requirements and expected performances for life-saving appliances until 2030, and agreed that the scope of the revision could only be estimated based on a gap analysis. Any draft amendments to SOLAS are expected to enter into force in 2036, at the earliest.
A Correspondence Group will progress the work until SSE 13 in March 2027, focusing on functional requirements and expected performances for Phases IV to VI.
Self-righting or canopied reversible life rafts
SOLAS requires life rafts on ro-ro passenger ships to be either automatically self-righting or canopied reversible life rafts which can operate safely whichever way they are floating. Similar requirements are currently not applicable to other ship types. For larger conventional life rafts, righting in an emergency may be challenging due to injuries, exhaustion, adverse sea conditions or the dimensions.
SSE 12 progressed draft amendments to SOLAS Chapter III and Chapter IV of the LSA Code to expand the requirement for the carriage of self-righting or canopied reversible life rafts to new cargo and passenger ships. The draft requirements will be applicable to life rafts with a capacity of 12 persons or more for ships constructed on or after a set date, yet to be decided. New requirements will not be required to be met retroactively.
SSE 12 further agreed:
- The 2000 High Speed Craft Code should also be amended to mandate automatically self-righting or canopied reversible life rafts for new high-speed craft, subject to approval by MSC 111 in May 2026.
- Requirements for rigid automatically self-righting and canopied reversible life rafts should be developed under Section 4.3 of the LSA Code.
The work will be continued in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027.
Maintenance and testing of life-saving appliances
Resolution MSC.402(96) was adopted in 2016 to provide a uniform, safe and documented standard for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear.
Challenges have however been experienced with the implementation of the resolution. In particular, LSA service providers are authorized for each specific “make” and “type” of equipment; however, these terms have been interpreted differently.
SSE 11 agreed to draft new definitions for “make”, “type”, “model” and “series”, for inclusion in Resolution MSC.402(96), to clarify which equipment LSA service providers are authorized to work on.
SSE 12 progressed draft amendments to paragraph 7 of Resolution MSC.402(96) and agreed to delete the footnote reference to standard ISO 23678:2022 for the time being. However, it may be referenced in the future, when updated in accordance with the new definitions in the LSA Code.
Work to promote consistent implementation of Resolution MSC.402(96) will continue in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027.
Thermal performance of immersion suits
The use of humans in the performance testing of immersion suits has become increasingly challenging. With more research being conducted related to the use of test manikins, the IMO is considering means to increase uniform implementation of the requirements in addition to requirements for the use of a reference test device in lieu of humans.
SSE 12 progressed draft amendments to the “Revised recommendation on testing of life-saving appliances” (Resolution MSC.81(70)) to incorporate requirements for evaluation of the thermal performance of immersion suits using test manikins. The work will continue at SSE 13 in March 2027.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS
The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) has considered potential alternative fuels and new technologies to support the reduction of greenhouse (GHG) emissions from ships from a safety perspective, and has identified safety obstacles, barriers and gaps in the current IMO instruments that may hinder their use. Related recommendations to support the possible safe use of these new fuels and technologies have been assigned to the relevant Sub-Committees.
SSE 12 considered the recommendations from MSC 110 and prepared work plans for the development of a safety regulatory framework to support the safe uptake of new technologies and alternative fuels.
Battery energy storage technologies
SSE 12 agreed to initiate the development of technology-neutral and goal-based interim guidelines for the safety of ships using battery energy storage systems.
The work will continue in a Correspondence Group, which will submit its report to the Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction (SDC 13) in May 2027, noting that SDC has already been tasked to draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation II-1/41 to allow batteries to be used as the main source of electrical power and for lighting systems.
The work is targeted for completion in 2028.
The work plan for SSE includes the following technologies and potential deliverables, subject to initiatives to progress the work:
Ships using methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel
- Draft amendments to the FSS Code to include test provisions for alcohol fires in relation to ships using methyl/ethyl alcohol as fuel
- Any draft amendments are targeting entry into force on 1 January 2032.
Fischer-Topsch (FT) diesel fuel
- Draft amendments to SOLAS Chapter II-2 and the “Guidelines for measures to prevent fires in engine-rooms and cargo pump-rooms” (MSC.1/Circ.1321) to include safety provisions addressing the risk posed by Fischer-Topsch (FT) diesel fuel
- Any draft amendments are targeting entry into force on 1 January 2036.
Advanced waste heat recovery systems
- Development of interim guidelines on safety requirements for advanced waste heat recovery systems
- Any interim guidelines are targeting approval by 2030.
The work plan for battery energy storage systems will be submitted to MSC 111 (May 2026) for endorsement, while the work plan for the remaining technologies will be submitted to MSC 112 (December 2026).
Validated model training courses
IMO model courses intend to assist instructors in developing training programmes for seafarers as per the International Convention of Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978. The model courses are subject to regular review to ensure they are consistent with the current IMO instruments and reflect best practices and modern technologies.
SSE 12 validated a revision of model course 3.06 on Survey of Life-Saving Appliances and Arrangements.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Room temperature conditions during testing of LSA
SSE 12 agreed to draft amendments to the relevant revised standardized life-saving appliance evaluation and test report forms to reflect the room temperature conditions during the testing of LSA, specifically to MSC.1/Circ.1628/Rev.4, MSC.1/Circ.1629, MSC.1/Circ.1630/Rev.3 and MSC.1/Circ.1633.
The draft amendments will be submitted to MSC 112 (December 2026) for approval.
