IMO Sub-Committee (CCC 12): Work on containers lost at sea

8. December 2025

By: Hendrike Kühl, Policy Director, IUMI

The IMO’s Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) deals with the carriage of packaged dangerous goods, solid bulk cargoes, bulk gas cargoes and containers. It also reviews and updates the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. Its 11th session met in September 2025, regrettably clashing with IUMI’s annual conference which is why IUMI was unable to participate this year.

An agenda item of relevance to IUMI was the development of measures to prevent the loss of containers at sea. This work continued based on the outcomes of a Correspondence Group which had prepared a work plan to address container losses which includes these aspects:

  • Operational guidance and limitations
  • Conditions at sea
  • Loading, stowage, validation and planning
  • Strength properties and calculations issues (calculation technical standard and container securing gear properties)
  • Inspection programmes (container securing and lashing gear)
  • Strength properties and calculations issues (container properties)
  • Inspection programmes (ACEP, PES) (container strength)

This work stream was closed by CCC 12. IMO Member States and observer organisations can now submit new proposals on specific aspects of the work plan items, including concrete suggestions for SOLAS amendments, to continue the work.

The second work stream related to containers lost at sea is the revision of the Revised Guidelines for the preparation of the Cargo Securing Manual (MSC.1/Circ.1353/Rev.2). The amendments to the guidelines to allow the use of lashing software in support of the preparation of the CSM were further discussed and are expected to be finalised by CCC 12. Outstanding work includes deliberations on means of standardisation of calculation framework and performance tests requirements. Regrettably, lashing software was not made mandatory by the Sub-Committee, a position which IUMI was supportive of.

IUMI continues discussions with IACS on this important matter and is looking for ways to improve the safe stowage and lashing of containers to avoid their loss at sea.