Loss Prevention Advice
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A list of a set of amendments to key IMO treaties and Codes have entered into force on 1 January 2026.
Generally, 2026 boasts a wide variety of regulatory updates and amendments coming into force throughout the year. Amendments coming into force in January include updates to seafarer training and certification, vessel operation and equipment standards, reporting requirements, fire and lifesaving measures, and the carriage of hazardous cargo. Thus, IMO has provided the following list:
Preventing and responding to bullying, harassment and sexual assault
Amendments to the Seafarers’ Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code (STCW Code) aim to prevent and respond to violence and harassment in the maritime sector, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault.
The amendments are included in table A-VI/1-4 (Specification of minimum standard of competence in personal safety and social responsibilities) of the STCW Code. They outline new mandatory minimum requirements for basic training and instruction for seafarers.
These will equip seafarers with knowledge and understanding of violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault, and information on how to prevent and respond to incidents.
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A new mandatory requirement introduced by the IMO for anchor handling winches under SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13, as amended by IMO Resolution MSC.532(107), which came into force on 1 January 2026.
As explained, these amendments follow previous updates covering lifting appliances, and are supported by the IMO Guidelines for Anchor Handling Winches (MSC.1/Circ.1662). The new requirements apply specifically to anchor handling winches, defined as “winches used for the purpose of deploying, recovering and repositioning anchors and mooring lines in subsea operations.”
Such winches are commonly found on dedicated anchor handling vessels, offshore support ships, and certain tugboats, and may be either purpose-built for anchor handling or integrated into a towing winch system.
It is important to note that these requirements do not apply to anchor windlasses, which are used to handle a ship’s own anchors.
Requirements for new anchor handling winches (installed on or after 1 January 2026)
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Below you will find a weekly report dated 21 January 2026, covering the period of 15 to 21 January 2026, where the following incidents were reported:
- 1 maritime security incident in West Africa in the last 7 days
- 0 maritime security incidents in the Indian Ocean/Middle East in the last 7 days.
Full advisory at the following link.
https://britanniapandi.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ARC-Weekly-Report-21.01.26.pdf
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A safety alert drawing attention to an incident where a daughter craft was grounded after transiting through a known navigational hazard.
What happened
Whilst sitting outside of Port a Daughter Craft (DC) Crew were tasked to enter Port to collect a marine assessor and a number of mannequins to facilitate the conducting of validation trials later that morning, prior to the mother vessel entering Port for the scheduled crew change.
Whilst the DC was in transit it travelled outside the recognised navigational channel, from this, it is suspected that the DC passed over a known navigational hazard outside of the recognised Port navigational channel. This area is clearly identified on the Port Navigational Chart as a drying area (a region of the seabed that is covered by water at high tide but exposed at low tide) with an identification and navigational warning light.