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Maritime Codes & Conventions: The Complete List

The codes and conventions every marine engineer must name — and what each abbreviation actually stands for.

7 min read
Beginner
Safety
Key Principles at a Glance 5 points
  • A CONVENTION is a binding international treaty adopted by a conference (e.g. SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW); a CODE is a detailed set of technical requirements that supports a convention (e.g. ISM, IMDG, ISPS).
  • Key Codes: ISM (safe management of ships), IMDG (dangerous goods), FSS (fire safety systems), LSA (life-saving appliances), IMSBC (solid bulk cargoes), IBC (bulk chemicals), ISPS (ship and port security) and the NOx Technical Code.
  • Key Conventions: SOLAS (safety of life at sea), MARPOL (marine pollution), STCW (training and watchkeeping), Load Line, Tonnage, Ballast Water Management and the Antifouling Convention.
  • A surveyor may simply ask "name the codes and conventions" — be ready to list them and say what each abbreviation stands for.
  • The STCW convention is covered separately: it is an international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers.

1. Code vs Convention

  • A CONVENTION is an international treaty agreed by governments at a conference — for example SOLAS or MARPOL. Once ratified and in force, it is binding.
  • A CODE is a detailed technical rulebook giving the practical requirements that support a convention or flag-state regulation — for example the ISM Code or the IMDG Code.
  • Some codes are made mandatory by being given force through a convention (e.g. ISM under SOLAS Chapter IX, ISPS under SOLAS Chapter XI-2).
convention: what + why binding treaty code: how to comply technical rulebook convention gives force ISM, ISPS via SOLAS
Easy Way to Remember

The Convention says "what and why" (the treaty obligation); the Code says "how" (the technical detail used to comply).

2. The Codes

CodeFull Name
ISMInternational Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention
IMDGInternational Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
FSSInternational Code for Fire Safety Systems
LSAInternational Life-Saving Appliance Code
IMSBCInternational Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code
IBCInternational Bulk Chemical Code
ISPSInternational Ship and Port Facility Security Code
NOx Technical CodeTechnical Code on Control of Emission of Nitrogen Oxides from Marine Diesel Engines
  • ISM — International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention.
  • IMDG — International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code.
  • FSS — International Code for Fire Safety Systems.
  • LSA — International Life-Saving Appliance Code.
  • IMSBC — International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code.
  • IBC — International Bulk Chemical Code.
  • ISPS — International Ship and Port Facility Security Code.
safety codes ISM FSS LSA ISPS cargo codes IMDG IMSBC IBC emissions code NOx Technical Code Eight codes: FSS fights fire, LSA abandons ship
FSS & LSA Belong Together

FSS (fire safety systems) and LSA (life-saving appliances) are the two SOLAS codes covering the ship’s means of fighting a fire and abandoning the ship.

3. The Conventions

ConventionFull Name
SOLASInternational Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
MARPOLInternational Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
STCWInternational Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers
Load LineInternational Load Line Convention
TonnageInternational Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships
BWMInternational Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments
AFSInternational Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships
  • SOLAS — International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.
  • MARPOL — International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (marine pollution).
  • STCW — International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers / Sea Farers.
  • Load Line — International Load Line Convention.
  • Tonnage — International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships.
  • BWM — International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (Ballast Water Management).
  • AFS — International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships (Antifouling).
CODES vs CONVENTIONS CODES (technical) ISM — Safe operation & pollution prevention IMDG — Dangerous goods FSS — Fire safety systems LSA — Life-saving appliances IMSBC — Solid bulk cargoes IBC — Bulk chemicals ISPS — Ship & port security NOx — Diesel engine NOx emissions CONVENTIONS (treaties) SOLAS — Safety of life at sea MARPOL — Pollution prevention STCW — Training & watchkeeping Load Line — Freeboard Tonnage — Measurement of ships BWM — Ballast water management AFS — Antifouling systems
Figure 1: Codes vs Conventions. Codes give the technical "how" (blue) while conventions are the binding international "what" (green).

4. Surveyor Asks — Memory Aid

Typical Question

"Name the codes and conventions you know." Give each abbreviation with its full name, and if asked to expand, explain which convention gives the code its force (ISM/ISPS under SOLAS).

pollution family MARPOL BWM AFS safety family SOLAS ISM FSS LSA ISPS cargo + people IMDG IMSBC IBC STCW Answer by family, then expand each abbreviation
GroupMembers
Pollution (MARPOL family)MARPOL, BWM, AFS
Safety (SOLAS family)SOLAS, Load Line, ISM, FSS, LSA, ISPS
CargoIMDG, IMSBC, IBC
PeopleSTCW
MeasurementTonnage
EmissionsNOx Technical Code