IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 12) in International Shipping News 18/03/2026 The 12th session of the IMO Sub-Committee on Ship Systems and Equipment (SSE 12) took place from 9 to 13 March 2026. SSE 12 progressed measures to strengthen the detection and control of fires in containerships and set a path for further work on the fire safety for vehicle carriers transporting new-energy vehicles. It was further agreed to develop interim guidelines for the safety of ships using battery energy storage systems, supporting efforts to reduce GHG emissions from ships. FIRE PROTECTION MATTERS Revision of the 2010 Fire Test Procedure Code The 2010 Fire Test Procedure (FTP) Code specifies test procedures to be used by laboratories when testing and evaluating products (for example bulkheads, ceilings, doors, surface materials and penetrations) that are required to comply with the fire safety requirements of the SOLAS Convention. SSE 12 progressed a revision of the 2010 FTP Code to accommodate new fire protection systems and materials, based on experience gained since its entry into force in 2012. SSE 12 agreed to draft amendments to the 2010 FTP Code to introduce test procedures for plastic pipes in Annex 1 Part 6 of the 2010 FTP Code and to refer to the “Guidelines for the Application of Plastic Pipes on Ships” (Resolution A.753(18)), as amended in a footnote. As SOLAS does not currently address the application of plastic pipes, the new draft Annex 1 Part 6 will be non-mandatory. It was further agreed that test procedures relating to the following systems and materials should be developed for inclusion in Annex 1 Part 3 the 2010 FTP Code: • Horizontal A-class hatches • “H”-class divisions • Multipurpose penetrations/transits The work will continue in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 in March 2027. Revision of SOLAS Regulation II-2/9 on the containment of fire SOLAS Regulation II-2/9 focuses on the containment of fire on ships, in other words to ensure that a potential fire is contained within the space where it originated by providing requirements to fire integrity and the insulation of boundaries, including openings and penetrations within those boundaries. Since the adoption of the current regulation in 2000, numerous Unified Interpretations have been developed. SSE 12 agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation II-2/9 on the containment of fire to incorporate these existing guidance documents into the regulatory text to ensure consistent implementation and provide a single source of applicable requirements. Consequential work, including consideration of application provisions and consequences for existing MSC circulars, will continue in a Correspondence Group until SSE 13 (March 2027). Containership fire safety Several serious fires in the cargo area on containerships have exposed technical challenges related to locating, containing and fighting fires in containers, but also to operational challenges like misdeclaration of cargoes. SSE 12 made good progress on enhancing the fire safety level for container carriers, including: • Agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation II-2/7 to introduce requirements for portable infrared (IR) thermal imagers, suitable for screening containers and detecting hot areas • Agreed on draft amendments to SOLAS Regulation II 2/10.7.3.1 on functional requirements for water mist lanc-es; existing ships may use the old or new type of water mist lances • Agree on draft guidelines for the desi