KR announced on May 26 that the amendments to the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk (IGC Code) received final approval at the 111th session of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), held in London from May 13 to 22, with key proposals put forward by KR reflected in the amended text.

The IGC Code governs the construction, equipment, and related requirements of ships carrying liquefied gases such as LNG and LPG. As gas carrier technology advances and eco-friendly vessels grow more common, the IMO has been deliberating amendments for several years. The current amendments are scheduled for formal adoption at MSC 112 this December and will enter into force on July 1, 2028.

Over roughly the past year, KR analysed the scope of application, design implications, and follow-up measures for all 97 items in the comprehensive amendment, and on that basis gathered the views of the domestic shipping and shipbuilding industries and identified the principal issues through technical publications and seminars.

KR then prepared four IMO amendment proposals, submitted to MSC 111 jointly with the Republic of Korea, China, Panama, and the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). These called for exempting existing ships from the retroactive application of pressure relief valve (PRV) requirements, easing the burden of overlapping requirements for the emergency power supply to hull heating equipment, improving the welding requirements for certain hull structures, and restoring safety requirements for existing ships while correcting editorial errors.

The PRV proposal was especially significant. Had the amended requirements applied retroactively to existing ships, each vessel would have needed an average of eight PRVs replaced, along with additional approval and survey, potentially costing several hundred million won per ship and disrupting operations. This threatened an economic burden on the roughly 90 LNG carriers operated by domestic shipping companies, which KR helped ease by proposing that the regulation apply only to newbuildings.

Reflecting concerns from the domestic shipbuilding industry over the point of application for newbuildings, KR submitted two further proposals through Panama and the Active Shipbuilding Experts' Federation (ASEF). These revised the criterion for newbuildings from the single "keel-laying date" standard to a "3-date criterion," under which the determination follows this order: the date of the building contract, the keel-laying date where no contract exists, and the date of delivery. Adopted in the final text with the active support of the Korean government, the change resolved the problem of different regulations applying to series vessels of identical design. One major domestic shipyard had determined that a considerable number of its roughly 80 LNG carriers already under contract could fall within the amended Code's scope, raising concerns over design changes, increased costs, and process delays.

KR also submitted its impact analysis of the 97 amendments for use as official IMO reference material. When some member states questioned the 3-day criterion during deliberations, citing the need for prompt application, the Korean government delegation (Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries) and KR drew on the analysis results and IMO guidelines to explain the criterion's reasonableness and technical validity, securing a smooth consensus.
Reflecting the MSC 111 outcomes, KR plans to revise its "Technical Information on the Impact Analysis of the IGC Code Amendments" and publish it this July, covering the amendments' scope of application and the follow-up measures for shipping companies and shipyards.

Lee Minjung, Director of the Maritime Safety Policy Division at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, who attended MSC 111 as a delegate, said, "This is the result of cooperation among the Ministry, KR, and the domestic shipbuilding industry to analyze the impact of the amendments in advance and to actively reflect the views of the industry in international deliberations," adding, " The Korean delegation will continue to strengthen its support so that Korea's technical positions and the views of its industry can be effectively reflected in IMO deliberations on international regulations."

KR Executive Vice President Kim Kyungbok said, "This achievement is an example of KR effectively reflecting the industry's concerns in international regulatory deliberations on the basis of its technical expertise in the gas carrier field," adding, "KR will continue to participate actively in IMO deliberations and to provide practical technical support so that shipowners and shipyards can respond reliably to changes in international regulations.”