Key Amendments To The International Grain Code

The International Code for the Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk (Grain Code), mandatory under SOLAS Chapter VI, is undergoing a significant update to enhance safety and operational flexibility in the maritime transport of bulk grain. 

Adopted by the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 108) in May 2024 via Resolution MSC.552(108), these amendments are set to enter into force on January 1, 2026.

They address a specific, previously undefined, partly filled cargo condition, bringing the regulatory framework in line with loading operations on modern bulk carriers.

The new requirements apply to both new and existing ships that intend to carry grain under this newly defined loading condition starting from that date.

The New Fourth Loading Condition

The core of the amendments is the introduction of a fourth permissible loading condition to the Grain Code.

Previously, the Code recognised three main conditions:

1. Filled compartment, trimmed
2. Filled compartment, untrimmed
3. Partly filled compartment

The new amendment formally introduces and defines:

A specially suitable compartment, partly filled in