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

The IGC Code is the international regulation governing the construction, equipment, and related requirements of ships carrying liquefied gases such as LNG and LPG. The IMO has been deliberating amendments to it for several years in response to advances in gas carrier technology and the growing adoption of eco-friendly vessels. The amendments are scheduled to be formally adopted at MSC 112 this December and to enter into force on July 1, 2028.

Over roughly the past year, KR analysed the scope of application, design implications, and required follow-up measures for all 97 items in the comprehensive IGC Code amendment. On this basis, it gathered the views of the domestic shipping and shipbuilding industries and identified the principal points at issue through technical publications and seminars.

KR then prepared four amendment proposals, submitted to MSC 111 as joint submissions with the Republic of Korea, China, Panama, and the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS): 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.

Had the amended PRV requirements applied retroactively, each existing ship would have needed an average of eight PRVs replaced, plus additional approvals and surveys — potentially several hundred million won per vessel and disrupting operations. This would have adversely affected the roughly 90 LNG carriers operated by domestic shipping companies; by proposing that the requirement apply only to newbuildings, KR helped ease that burden.

Reflecting domestic shipbuilders' concerns over the point of application for newbuildings, KR submitted two further proposals through Panama and the Active Shipbuilding Experts' Federation (ASEF). These replaced the single existing "keel-laying date" standard with a "3-date criterion," under which the determination follows this order: (1) the building contract date; (2) the keel-laying date where no contract exists; and (3) the delivery date. Reflected in the final text with the active support of the Korean government, this resolved the problem of different regulations applying to series vessels of identical design — a concern after one major shipyard concluded that about half of its roughly 80 LNG carriers under contract could fall within the amended Code's scope, raising the prospect of design changes, additional costs, and process delays.

KR also submitted its 97-item impact analysis for use as official IMO reference material. When some member states questioned the 3-date criterion during deliberations, citing the need for prompt application, the government delegation — the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries — and KR demonstrated the reasonableness and technical validity of the criterion on the basis of that analysis and IMO guidelines, facilitating a smooth consensus. KR's technical expertise and its experience in responding to international conventions thus played a key role in the deliberations.

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 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 analyse the impact of the amendments in advance and reflect the industry's views in international deliberations," adding, "The Ministry will continue to strengthen its support so that Korea's technical positions and its industry's views are effectively reflected in IMO deliberations."

KR Executive Vice President Kim Kyungbok said, "This achievement shows 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 provide practical technical support so that shipowners and shipyards can respond reliably to changes in international regulations."