Main contents of revisions are as follows:

PART ONE  PROVISIONS OF CLASSIFICATION

Adding new class notations, e.g. Geotextiles Layer (Geotextiles layers), Ferry Passenger Ship (Ferry passenger ships), ASMW (Operational guidance for ships in high sea conditions), WAP(ROTOR) (Rotor assisted propulsion system), RWA (Reduced anchor weight), PSD (Rotating duct in front of propellers), SOLAS XII, HMS(Ln), OCCS Ready etc.; revising class notations, e.g. Chemical Barge (chemical barges), Gas Barge (gas barges),Woodchip Carrier (woodchip carriers). Revising certification requirements related to EGCS; adding List of certification requirements for methanol fuel system specialized products; adding certification requirements for “Telescope gangway”, “Cycloidal steering oar”, “Fume exhaust valve”. Adding survey requirements for watertight cable transits on sea-going ships engaged on non-international voyages. Revising definitions of “oil tanker”, “double hull oil tanker”, “ballast tank of a bulk carrier” and “ballast tank of a double skin bulk carrier”. Revising conditions where cargo tank testing carried out by the ship’s crew under the direction of the Master may be accepted by the Surveyor at special surveys of oil tankers; adding requirements for “Examination of double-side skin void spaces for bulk carriers exceeding 20 years of age and of 150 m in length and upwards”; with regard to intermediate surveys of bulk carriers, enhance survey requirements for ballast tank coating. Refining requirements for “Survey related to notation SCM”. Clarifying that corrosion renewal criteria different from traditional rules are used for ships constructed in accordance with Rules for Structures of Container Ships and ice-strengthened structures.

PART TWO  HULL

1) Incorporation of IACS mandatory requirements: clarifying requirements for small hatches on container ship giving access to a cargo hold in accordance with IACS UR S26 (Rev.5); adjusting requirements for minimum thickness of the plate of sea-going ships with L<65m in accordance with IACS UR S3 Rev.2; revision made in accordance with IACS UR S21 Rev.6. UR S21 Rev.6 integrates the original UR S21A and UR S21, applicable to a wide range of hatch cover requirements; fully incorporating newly released IACS UR S35, which gives general process of buckling assessment; revising relevant requirements for rudders in accordance with IACS UR S10 (Rev.7); adding mooring and anchoring requirements for tugs under 45 m in length intended for towing service only or for ships of length less than 90 m in accordance with IACS UR A1 (Rev.8); revising the guidelines for calculation of bending moment and shear force distribution of rudder-rudder stock in accordance with IACS UR S10 (Rev.7); incorporating requirements of IACS Rec.10 (Rev.5), as an alternative, direct force calculation may be performed to determine the necessary anchoring equipment for monohull ships with length less than 90m.

2) Revision of technical requirements: revising technical requirements for butt weld of plates of different thicknesses; deleting technical requirements for occasionally carrying bulk cargo; revising the definition of a bulk carrier applicable to the chapter on bulk carriers as a typical bulk carrier, along with corresponding revisions, deleting the technical requirements for woodchip carriers; adding technical requirements for external glass balustrades, with provisions for glass material, thickness and connection means; Adjusting "nominal thermal Boil Off Rate" to "nominal daily Boil Off Rate" according to the general terminology of the industry; sorting out requirements for ice-strengthened parts in accordance with the latest Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Rules (FSICR).

3) Newly added or revised class notations and requirements: adding technical requirements for operational guidance for ships in high sea conditions and adding ASMW notation; clarifying that provisions for energy-saving appendages in front of propellers are optional and adding a new class notation: PSD; with the addition of SOLAS XII notation, revising the relevant descriptions so as to apply to the relevant circumstances; coordinating "Ro/Ro Ship" into "Ro-Ro Ship"; adding the definition and class notation for ferry passenger ships; adding the definitions, class notations and reference to relevant technical requirements for chemical barges and gas barges.

PART THREE  MACHINERY INSTALLATIONS

Revising requirements for valve type on collision bulkhead in accordance with resolution MSC.474(102); refining NDT requirements for cylinder head of diesel engine. Providing the definition of “totally new design” of turbocharger and refined containment safety in accordance with URM73 Rev.2. Revising the acceptable factor calculation formulae of crankpin and journal fillet in Guidance for Evaluation of Fatigue Tests of Crankshafts in accordance with URM53 Rev.5. Adding relevant requirements for type test of pressure relief systems for inlet and outlet manifolds of gas fuel engines in accordance with URM82. Adding general requirements, design requirements, special design requirements and related tests for the safety of methanol/ethanol fuel engines. Adding the condition where the generator electrical degree is not limited to 3.5°. Partial update according to FSICR 2021.

PART FOUR  ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

Clarifying requirements when vehicles with fuel in their tanks for their own propulsion are carried in ordinary cargo spaces; revising requirements for electrical equipment of certified safe type when carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer; improving requirements for cargo hold water ingress detection and alarm; revising test items of transformers; clarifying the contents of report of machines routine tested of rotating machines.

PART FIVE  REFRIGERATED CARGO INSTALLATIONS

According to the actual arrangement of the manufacturer’s refrigerating plant compressor, condenser is generally fitted after the compressor. High pressure alarm and automatic shutdown protection action are generally fitted at the delivery side of the compressor by the manufacturer. The delivery pressure is generally determined by the condensing pressure, and the alarm requirement of excessive high pressure in condenser is deleted. At the same time, the relief valve and safety disc arrangement requirements are added to facilitate implementation.

PART SIX  FIRE PROTECTION, DETECTION AND EXTINCTION

(1) In 2.2.1.3, Section 2, Chapter 2 of PART SIX, “stations” or “container storage rooms or control stations” is replaced by “storage rooms of extinguishing medium” to avoid misunderstanding.

(2) In accordance with the latest revision of IACS UR F42, deleting 3.4.12 “Fire testing of flexible pipes”, Section 4, Chapter 3 of PART SIX.

PART SEVEN  AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

Incorporating IACS URE22 Rev.3 and introducing the concept that the category of a system shall always be evaluated in the context of the specific vessel in question; clarifying the roles of systems integrators and system suppliers, and specifying in detail survey requirements for integrators and suppliers at different stages.

PART EIGHT  ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Based on industry feedback, adding a new Chapter 17 Additional requirements for geotextiles layers where the Geotextiles Layer notation is added and technical requirements for geotextiles layers are supplemented by referring to technical requirements for cable layers and pipe layers; adding a new Chapter 37 Additional requirements for carrying dry cargo in bulk where the notation SOLAS XII for carrying dry cargo in bulk (only satisfying applicable requirements in SOLAS XII) and relevant requirements are supplemented. In addition, for Chapter 13 Additional requirements for polar class ships, refining regulations specially considered by classification societies based on UR I2 and fully incorporating UR I3. For Chapter 24 Additional requirements for stand-by ships and rescue ships, making a distinction between requirements for stand-by ships and rescue ships based on different operational scenarios and functions. Editorial revisions in other chapters.

PART NINE  COMMON STRUCTURAL RULES FOR BULK CARRIERS AND OIL TANKERS

Incorporating IACS CSR 2023 RCN, including: clarifying the calculation method for unusual arrangements with 5 or more dunnages per row of steel coil; clarifying that steel coil load of stiffeners is to be calculated from bending effective span; clarifying the application of requirements for minimum net thicknesses of bilge plating; clarifying the standards to determine the size of stiffeners used for Permanent Means of Access (PMA); clarifying the assessment method of proportions of web plate of PSM; clarifying the calculation method of hot spot location and stress for corrugated bulkhead to lower stool connection and radiused upper hopper knuckle connection; clarifying design load set of bulk carriers less than 150 m in length; deleting rules formulae for stiffeners and primary supporting members of variable cross section on cargo hatch covers.

PART TEN  SHIPS IN RESTRICTED SERVICE

Clarifying that relevant requirements for surveys of propeller shafts and tube shafts are given in Section 12, Chapter 5, PART ONE of the rules; further clarifying the specified value of thickness of the plate keels of ships in restricted service to avoid ambiguity.