This test allows ship operators to demonstrate that seafarers, of any nationality, have been assessed on their ability to communicate in English – a necessity that has been given additional emphasis by the ISM Code and the revised STCW Convention.
May 2023
Tools and Workbooks
The first full-scale survey of risk and confidence among maritime leaders, this report presents insights into the issues preoccupying key maritime decision-makers and how they are placed to manage their impact.
May 2023
Reports, Positions and Papers | Free
This edition was withdrawn in February 2025 and replaced by the 2025-2026 edition.
This publication provides guidance on how to combat drug trafficking at sea and to recognise the signs of drug use and dependence among crew members. Considered the leading industry publication on the topic, this 2023 - 2024 edition has been fully updated by industry experts to assist shipping companies, Masters and officers, to help prepare, prevent, protect and how to respond when faced with drug trafficking and drug abuse at sea.
April 2023
Archive | £195
This modern and practical medical guide from ICS has been written and reviewed by an international group of maritime medical practitioners and experts with many years' experience of working with and training seafarers and fishers. It can be used on board all ships and fishing vessels, anywhere in the world, and in onshore safety departments, medical assistance centres and training institutions who support seafarers and fishers.
March 2023
Multimedia | Free
This modern and practical medical guide from ICS has been written and reviewed by an international group of maritime medical practitioners and experts with many years' experience of working with and training seafarers and fishers. It can be used on board all ships and fishing vessels, anywhere in the world, and in onshore safety departments, medical assistance centres and training institutions who support seafarers and fishers.
March 2023
Guidelines | £225
The IMO International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) regulate the training and certification of seafarers and forms the basis for standards of crew competence that are enforced worldwide. The Convention also regulates watchkeeping arrangements on board merchant ships, including watchkeepers’ minimum rest hours. The fourth edition of Guidelines on the IMO STCW Convention sets out the obligations for shipping companies and includes guidance on how to ensure compliance on board.
February 2023
Guidelines | £145
The ICS Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit for Shipping has been developed to create awareness and inspire change in the strategies, policies and practices that will enable the maritime industry to meet the needs of the diverse seafarer community. It provides descriptions and definitions; provides ways to assess the current needs of diverse communities and identify gaps in services, policies and practice; and makes suggestions on how to fill these gaps.
January 2023
Guidelines | £165
A report commissioned by the International Chamber of Shipping, written by researchers at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester
November 2022
Reports, Positions and Papers | Free
This Industry Guidance is specifically aimed at clarifying the exchange of information between shipowners and suppliers through the supplier’s submission of the Material Declaration (MD) and the Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC). It will assist shipowners and suppliers in understanding and complying with their obligations with respect to MD and SDoC under the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) and EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EUSRR), reducing the administrative burden for shipowners and suppliers, and ensuring the provision of accurate information necessary for the maintenance of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM).
November 2022
Guidelines | Free
This position paper from the Maritime Just Transition Task Force puts forward a 10-point action plan to achieve a Just Transition for Seafarers
November 2022
Reports, Positions and Papers | Free