ICS develops and promotes shipping industry best practices and guidance through a wide range of publications and free resources that are used by ship operators globally.
You can download most publications from the list below for free and purchase the paid-for publications from our ICS bookshop.
The Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU will conduct a joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Safety of Navigation. ICS has therefore developed guidance on the CIC on Safety of Navigation, which was distributed to ICS Members on 1 August and is now publicly available.
All seafarers have the right to work without suffering harassment and bullying. ICS and ITF have together produced this guidance for shipping companies, seafarers and seafarers’ organisations and other parties on what they can do to eliminate harassment and bullying.
These shipping industry guidelines help shipowners ensure to the greatest extent possible that their end of life ships will be recycled at facilities that are compliant with the standards enshrined in the IMO Hong Kong Convention, in advance of the global regime entering into legal force.
The Bridge Procedures Guide is widely acknowledged as the principal industry guidance on safe bridge procedures, and is used by Masters, watchkeeping officers, companies and training institutions worldwide. The Guide is referenced in the footnotes of several International Maritime Organization (IMO) Conventions.
Leaflet prepared jointly by ICS, IMO and UNHCR providing guidance on relevant legal provisions, and on practical procedures to ensure the prompt disembarkation of survivors of rescue operations, and measures to meet their specific needs, particularly in the case of refugees and asylum-seekers.
From July 2014, all ships are required by new IMO regulations (SOLAS Regulation III/I7-1) to have ship-specific plans and procedures for the recovery of persons from the water. These ICS Guidelines have been developed to assist companies when preparing to comply with the new regulations and should be used together with the IMO Guidelines for the Development of Plans and Procedures for the Recovery of Persons from the Water (MSC.1/Circ.1447), the Guide to Recovery Techniques (MSC.1/Circ.1182) and the Guide for Cold Water Survival (MSC.1/Circ.1185/Rev.1).
This industry Guide provides recommendations on safety, minimum equipment levels and good operating practices. If more stringent international, national or local regulations apply then they should take precedence. This Guide is a required publication on the SIRE Vessel Inspection Questionnaires for Oil Tankers, Combination Carriers, Shuttle Tankers, Chemical Tankers and Gas Tankers.
ICS and the World Shipping Council (WSC) published this industry guidance for shippers and container stuffers concerning the safe transport of containers by sea. Significantly, the guidance is supported by the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF). The Guidance is extracted from ‘Safe Transport of Containers by Sea – Guidelines on Best Practices’ – which was published by ICS and WSC in 2009.