Technical Circular No: 026/2025
1. IMO's Maritime Safety Committee at its 107th session vide MSC.532(107)) adopted new SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13 specifying requirements on lifting appliances, anchor handling winches and associated loose gears. Additionally, “Guidelines for anchor handling winches” (MSC.1/Circ.1662) and “Guidelines for lifting appliances” (MSC.1/Circ.1663) were adopted.
2. This new regulation comes into force on 1 January 2026 and mandates the design, construction, operation, testing, and maintenance requirements for Lifting Appliances and Anchor Handling Winches with an aim to prioritize safety of personnel, assets and to prevent failures and accidents.
3. The new regulation applies to a wide range of lifting appliances, including those:
a. Used for cargo loading, transfer, or discharge
b. Used for raising and lowering hold hatch covers or moveable bulkheads
c. Used as engine-room cranes
d. Used as stores cranes
e. Used as hose handling cranes
f. Used for launch and recovery of tender boats and similar applications
g. Used as personnel handling cranes
4. However, the following are excluded from the scope of SOLAS Reg. II-1/3-13:
a. Lifting appliances installed on Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs)
b. lifting appliances used on offshore construction ships, such as pipe/cable laying/repair or offshore installation vessels, including ships for decommissioning work, which comply with standards acceptable to the Administration.
c. Integrated mechanical devices solely intended for opening or closing hatch covers; and
d. Launching appliances covered under the Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) Code.
5. Brief Summary of requirements pertaining to the Lifting Appliances and Loose Gears:
A. New Lifting Appliances and Loose Gears installed on or after 01 January 2026:
a. The design, construction and installation to be in accordance with the requirements of the vessel’s RO, based on MSC.1/Circ.1663.
b. Load test & Thorough examination are to be carried out after installation and before being taken into use for the first time and after repairs, modifications or alterations of a major character.
c. SWL is to be permanently marked and provided with documentary evidence for the SWL.
Note: For Lifting Appliances with SWL below 1000 Kg, the application of provisions of above requirements (a) & (b) will be determined by the Administration.
B. Existing Lifting Appliances installed before 01 January 2026:
a. Load test & thorough examination are to be carried out and SWL is to be permanently marked and documentary evidence for the SWL is to be provided not later than the date of the first Safety Construction (SAFCON) renewal survey on or after 1 January 2026.
Note: Existing lifting appliances with valid certificates of test and thorough examination under another international instrument acceptable to the Administration (e.g. ILO Convention No. 152) and issued prior to 01 January 2026 are considered compliant with the requirement.
b. Where the SWL of the lifting appliances is undocumented and design information is not available, and the manufacturer no longer exists, the test load shall be calculated using table 1 of MSC.1/Circ.1663, based on a SWL nominated by the company, to the satisfaction of the vessel’s RO.
C. Requirements applicable to both New and Existing Lifting Appliances (irrespective of the date of installation):
a. Lifting appliances to be load retested at least once in every five years (or after repairs, modifications, or alterations of a major character).
b. Lifting appliances to be subject to thorough examination upon completion of any load test and annually.
c. All loose gear in use with lifting appliances to have documentary evidence of a proof test and be retested after repairs, modifications or alterations of major character acceptable to the Administration.
d. Lifting appliances are to be provided with an Operation Manual and Maintenance Manual by the manufacturer. Where these manuals for existing lifting appliances are not available from the manufacturer, these may be provided by competent third parties.
e. Records of the routine inspection and maintenance of lifting appliances or their components or parts are to be maintained and kept on board.
f. All personnel involved in the operation of lifting appliances must be properly trained, qualified and familiarized in handling the equipment.
6. Brief Summary of requirements pertaining to the Anchor Handling Winches and associated Loose Gears (Includes any winch for the purpose of deploying, recovering and repositioning anchors and mooring lines in subsea operations):
A. New Anchor Handling Winches and Loose Gears installed on or after 01 January 2026:
a. Anchor handling winches and loose gears installed on or after 1 January 2026 to be designed, constructed, installed and tested to the requirements of the vessel’s RO, based on MSC.1 / Circ.1662.
b. Commissioning test & thorough examination are to be carried out after installation and before being taken into use for the first time and after repairs, modifications or alterations of a major character.
c. Anchor handling winches are to be properly marked with any restriction associated with their safe operation.
B. Existing Anchor Handling Winches and Loose Gears installed before 01 January 2026:
a. Anchor handling winches installed before 1 January 2026 to be tested and thoroughly examined, based on MSC.1/Circ. 1662 and properly marked with any restriction associated with their safe operation no later than the date of the first SAFCON renewal survey on or after 1 January 2026.
Note: Existing anchor handling winches with valid certificates under another international instrument acceptable to the Administration and issued prior to 01 January 2026 are considered compliant with the requirement.
C. Requirements applicable to both New and Existing Anchor Handling Winches (irrespective of the date of installation):
a. Anchor handling winches and associated equipment are to be operationally tested annually and five yearly. The annual test to include function tests of all equipment. Five yearly testing is to be witnessed by the Administration / RO.
b. Thorough examination of anchor handling winches and associated equipment are to be carried out every year.
c. Annual Thorough Examination of Anchor handling winches and associated equipment to be carried out during the Annual surveys, before re-entering service after any structural repairs or modifications of major character and after load testing.
d. All loose gear in use with anchor handling winches and associated equipment to have documentary evidence of a proof test and be retested after repairs, modifications or alterations of major character acceptable to the Administration.
e. Anchor handling winches are to be provided with an Operation Manual and Maintenance Manual by the manufacturer. Where these manuals for existing anchor handling winches are not available from the manufacturer, these may be provided by competent third parties.
f. Records of the routine inspection and maintenance of anchor handling winches or their components or parts should be maintained and kept on board.
g. Personnel operating anchor handling winches and their associated equipment are to be qualified, familiarized with the equipment and be authorized by the master.
7. Ship Owners/ Managers and Masters are advised to be guided by above and accordingly plan for compliance with the requirements as per new SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13.
8. IRS HO may be contacted for further guidance in this regard.
Enclosure:
This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.