By Hiroka Suzuki, Loss Prevention Executive and Satoru Yamashita, Senior Claims Executive, Gard P&I Club


The revision of the International Grain Code was adopted at the IMO Maritime Safety Committee in 2024 and came into effect on 1 January 2026. The main purpose of the amendment is to formally incorporate into the code the cargo handling method of “specially suitable compartment, partly filled in way of the hatch opening, with ends untrimmed”. This article highlights the key changes and discusses potential practical and legal implications.


The International Code for the Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk provides specific requirements for the loading conditions according to the following classification:


- filled compartments (trimmed) - filled compartments (untrimmed) - partly filled compartments.


In the practice of loading ships with grain, a loading condition is frequently observed where a compartment is "specially suitable" as defined in A 2.7, filled up to or above the bottom edge of the hatch end beams but not to the highest possible level in way of the hatch opening. The condition where the grain cargo is slacked in the coaming of a "specially suitable


AFT Void


Grain slack hold at deck level with ends trimmed


Ullage Condition covered by the Code Condition not covered by the Code Void Void Void


Grain slack hold at deck level with ends untrimmed


Void


compartment" with the ends being trimmed according to A 10.6 is illustrated below to the left. The same condition with the ends untrimmed (illustration to the right) is not covered by the current Code and cannot be calculated for stability purposes in an accurate fashion. This condition often arises unintentionally due to variations in cargo stowage factor, or operational and voyage order constraints.


A ship finishing in the condition shown on the right therefore may formally be not in compliance with the Grain Code, even if adequate stability could be categorically demonstrated by the calculations. To address this, Canada and United States jointly proposed for a new output on amendments to the International


FWD AFT


Code for the Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk in 2019 (MSC 101/21/12). These amendments to allow partly filled grain holds with untrimmed ends, were adopted via Resolution MSC.552(108) at the 108th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in May 2024 and will come into effect on 1 January 2026.


The changes that came into force as of 1 January 2026


This amendment formally recognises this intermediate loading condition and requires that the Grain Loading Manual include the corresponding heeling moment values for “specially suitable compartment, partly filled in way of the hatch opening, with ends


Void FWD


72 | ISSUE 115 | MAR 2026 | THE REPORT


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156