The 81st session of the IACS Council was held on June 24-25. This year, as part of anti-COVID measures, the IACS Council held its session by video-conference, a first in the history of the Association.

C81 marked the conclusion of the Indian Register’s Chairmanship of IACS, which spanned the first stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. ClassNK took over the IACS Chairmanship on July 1, 2020. Mr. Koichi Fujiwara has been appointed Chairman of the IACS Council.

In accordance with the calendar principle of rotation of the Association’s chairmanship, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS, Register) has assumed the functions of Vice-Chairman. Two RS representatives were elected as Vice-Chairman of the IACS Council and Vice-Chairman of the IACS General Policy Group.

The IACS Council, as the supreme governing body, establishes the key directions of the IACS development. IACS Council meets to take decisions on promotion and regulatory support of technical initiatives which are of relevance for the Industry. The IACS General Policy Group oversees the activities of the Association’s technical working bodies (panels, expert and working groups) and coordinates the Association’s work in the International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Labour Organization (ILO) and other international organizations of the maritime industry.

Given that the circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be difficult, the IACS members are using their intellectual potential to review the techniques, scope and means of the ships’ remote surveys. The overriding objective is that the results of remote surveys are to be of same quality as those conducted with a surveyor on board. In the same context, improvement of methods of the IACS Members’ quality management system audits is also on the Association’s agenda. Furthermore, great attention is paid to the technical and regulatory issues of unmanned shipping, greenhouse gas reduction, cross-industry cooperation in digitization and cyber safety of maritime transport. Definitely contributing to safe shipping, IACS constantly endeavors to combine pragmatism and innovations, and to facilitate the implementation of new technologies to improve the efficiency of maritime transportation.