Page 9: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2025)

Regulatory Update – Sponsored

IP CODE COMPLIANCE More than a Regulatory

Formality, it Impacts Commercial Viability

By Maciej Jozwiak, Technical

Manager, GLO Marine ith the International Code of Safety for Ships Carry- ing Industrial Personnel

W(IP Code) now in force under SOLAS Chapter XV, offshore ves- sel owners are facing new compliance challenges. This regulation applies to ves- sels carrying more than 12 industrial per- sonnel and mandates stricter safety, stabil- ity, and ? re protection measures.

For vessels already classed under the

Special Purpose Ship (SPS) notation,

LEARN MORE: Read the full transitioning to compliance is relatively article authored by Maciej Jozwiak,

Photo courtesy GLO Marine straightforward. However, many offshore

Technical Manager, GLO Marine in support vessels (OSVs), including Plat-

Offshore Engineer, scan the QR code: form Supply Vessels (PSVs) and Con- struction Support Vessels (CSVs), were not initially designed to meet these stan- dards. That is narrowing their operational pro? le and this step is not following the market trends. There is a huge demand for

CSOVs that can be covered by mobilized for purpose PSVs. Such mobilization can be done by temporary installation of for example motion compensated gangways and accommodation units. Non compliant vessels require engineering modi? cations, safety system upgrades, and operational changes to obtain an Industrial Person- nel Safety Certi? cate (IP Certi? cate)—a requirement for continued operation in offshore industrial projects.

The IP Code is more than just a regu- latory formality; it directly affects a ves- sel’s commercial viability. Without proper compliance, OSVs risk losing contracts and being sidelined from the offshore market. To avoid operational disruptions, vessel owners must act quickly to evalu- ate compliance gaps and implement nec- essary modi? cations.

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