No. 11 of 2025 - MERCHANT SHIPPING (SAFETY CONVENTION) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2025 AND PREVENTION OF POLLUTION OF THE SEA (REPORTING OF POLLUTION INCIDENTS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2025

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE

SHIPPING CIRCULAR

NO. 11 of 2025

MPA Shipping Division

460 Alexandra Road

21st Storey mTower

Singapore 119963

http://www.mpa.gov.sg

01 December 2025

Applicable to: Shipowners, ship managers, operators, masters, crew members,

recognised organisations, surveyors and the shipping community

MERCHANT SHIPPING (SAFETY CONVENTION) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS

2025 AND PREVENTION OF POLLUTION OF THE SEA (REPORTING OF

POLLUTION INCIDENTS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2025

1. This circular informs the shipping community on the amendments to the

Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations and the Prevention of Pollution of

the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations which will enter into force on 01

January 2026.

Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

1. The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the International Maritime

Organization (IMO) had adopted amendments to the International Convention for the

Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention), through Resolutions MSC.520(106),

MSC.532(107), MSC.534(107) and MSC.550(108) which will enter into force on 01

January 2026.

1. Resolution MSC.520(106) adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention to:

a) introduce pre-bunkering requirements for ships carrying oil fuel, whereby the

oil fuel supplier’s representative will be required to provide a signed and

certified declaration that the oil fuel supplied is in conformity with the relevant

regulation, and the bunker delivery note must now also contain flashpoint

details for the oil fuel delivered; and

b) introduce requirements for IMO to be informed for all confirmed cases where

oil fuel suppliers have failed to meet the specified requirements, and for

actions to be taken against oil fuel suppliers found delivering non-compliant

oil fuel.

1. Resolutions MSC.532(107) and MSC.534(107) adopted amendments to the

SOLAS Convention to:

a) require lifting appliances and anchor handling winches to now be designed,

constructed, installed and maintained in accordance with SOLAS

requirements;

b) prohibit the use or storage of firefighting foams containing perfluorooctane

sulfonic acid, which would minimise the impact of fire-extinguishing media

that are detrimental to the environment;

c) incorporate a new requirement for electronic inclinometers to be carried on

board all containerships and bulk carriers of 3,000 gross tonnage and

upwards;

d) include selected non-SOLAS ship types operating in polar waters under the

Polar Code; and

e) amend the templates of forms of the various SOLAS certificates to include

“containership” as new ship type within cargo ship safety equipment / safety

certificates, nuclear cargo ship safety certificate, and specify details on

provision of immersion suits and electronic inclinometers.

1. Resolution MSC.550(108) adopted amendments to the SOLAS Convention to:

a) update requirements for oil fuel safety; fire detection and alarm systems in

accommodation/service and cargo control spaces; and fire and structural

protection systems for vehicle/ro-ro/special category ships and passenger

ships; and

b) introduce new reporting requirements when freight containers are lost at

sea.

1. The amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations

will give effect to the Resolutions MSC.520(106), MSC.532(107), MSC.534(107) and

MSC.550(108).

Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents)

(Amendment) Regulations 2025

1. The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO had

adopted amendments to Protocol I of the International Convention for the Prevention

of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL Convention), through Resolution MEPC.384(81)

which will enter into force on 01 January 2026.

1. Resolution MEPC.384(81) introduces, under Article V of Protocol I, new

reporting procedures for the loss of containers, in accordance with the requirements

on danger messages under the SOLAS Convention.

1. The amendments to the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of

Pollution Incidents) Regulations will give effect to the Resolution MEPC.384(81).

1. Copies of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) (Amendment)

Regulations 2025 (Government Gazette No. S 738/2025) and Prevention of Pollution

of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

(Government Gazette No. S 739/2025) can be purchased at:

Toppan Next Pte Ltd

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1. The Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Regulations and the Prevention of

Pollution of the Sea (Reporting of Pollution Incidents) Regulations can also be

accessed on Singapore Statutes Online.

1. Any queries relating to this circular should be emailed to shipping@mpa.gov.sg.
2. The shipping community is encouraged to subscribe to our Telegram channel –

t.me/MPASingapore to receive the latest updates.

CHEAH AUN AUN

DIRECTOR OF MARINE

MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE