Chapter XV (SOLAS)

SOLAS Chapter XV, Safety Measures for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel, governs vessels transporting offshore wind, oil and gas, and aquaculture workers, a category previously falling between passenger and cargo rules. Adopted by resolution MSC.521(106) and in force from 1 July 2024, it makes the International Code of Safety for Ships Carrying Industrial Personnel (IP Code, resolution MSC.527(106)) mandatory. It applies to cargo ships and high-speed cargo craft of 500 GT and upward, built on or after 1 July 2024, that carry more than 12 industrial personnel. The IP Code uses SOLAS and the 2000 HSC Code as its baseline and adds personnel-transfer safety provisions.