WSC welcomes the IMO regulations on mandatory reporting of containers lost at sea

The World Shipping Council (WSC) welcomed the recent adoption of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) by the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

From January 1, 2026, these changes will require mandatory reporting of all containers lost at sea, setting a new standard for maritime safety and environmental protection.

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Key provisions of the new Regulations

Regulation 31 – Reporting of the ship’s master:

• The master of a vessel involved in the loss of containers must report the details immediately and in detail to nearby vessels, the nearest coastal State and the flag State.

• The flag State will then transmit this information to the IMO through a new module in the Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS).

• Ship captains who observe drifting containers must report this to nearby ships and the nearest coastal state.

Regulation 32 – Reporting details:

For containers lost at sea:

• Reports should be submitted as soon as possible and updated as more information becomes available.

• The final number of lost containers must be confirmed after a thorough inspection.

• The mandatory details include the location of the lost containers, the total number of containers lost and any dangerous goods they contained. If possible, additional descriptive information is required.

• Captains can also voluntarily share details about cargo, sea conditions and more.

In the case of drifting containers, the following was observed:

• Reports must include the position and total number of drifting containers detected.

• If available, additional voluntary data similar to that for lost containers may be provided.

In anticipation of the introduction of mandatory reporting requirements, the WSC has been collecting information from its members since 2008 on the number of containers lost at sea. The report, regularly published in the Lost at Sea Containers Report and submitted to the IMO, is an important source of information for any efforts to increase container and cargo security, WSC said.

The ‘Lost at Sea Containers Report – 2024 Update’, containing data for 2023, will be published in the coming weeks.

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“The new regulations, in particular amending regulations 31 and 32 of Chapter V of the SOLAS Convention, represent significant progress in maritime safety and environmental protection,” said Lars Kjaer, vice president for safety and security at WSC.

“By ensuring quick and detailed reporting of lost and drifting containers, these changes will increase shipping safety, facilitate rapid response and mitigate potential environmental risks.”

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