{
  "id": 2017386,
  "title": "2026 PSC CIC on Cargo Securing: Key Considerations for Ship Operators",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/2026-psc-cic-on-cargo-securing-key-considerations-for-ship-operators",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-19T21:00:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hellenic Shipping News",
    "slug": "hellenic-shipping-news",
    "url": "https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/2026-psc-cic-on-cargo-securing-key-considerations-for-ship-operators/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding have initiated a joint Port State Control (PSC) Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on cargo securing, running from September 1 to November 30, 2026. This campaign will scrutinize compliance with SOLAS requirements for cargo loading, stowage, and securing. PSC Officers will utilize a customized questionnaire alongside regular inspections to evaluate adherence and detect potential weaknesses. Depending on the nature and gravity of deficiencies, actions may range from corrective actions to ship detention. The focus on cargo securing stems from the industry's ongoing concerns about its criticality. Cargo securing failures can lead to serious repercussions, such as cargo shifts, structural damage, container loss overboard, seafarer risks, supply chain disruptions, and environmental harm. Cargo securing guidelines are primarily outlined in SOLAS Chapter VI, Regulation 5, which mandates proper cargo loading, stowage, and securing throughout the voyage to prevent ship damage, endanger persons on board, and avoid cargo loss overboard. The ship's approved Cargo Securing Manual (CSM) aids in meeting these requirements, and many inspection points in the 2026 CIC questionnaire stem from this manual and related IMO guidance. The campaign arrives amid a period of high-consequence cargo loss events. The World Shipping Council Containers Lost at Sea Report 2025 reveals that approximately 1,478 containers were lost at sea in 2025, compared to 576 in 2024. This spike is mainly due to a major incident accounting for around 43% of total container losses that year, highlighting how swiftly cargo securing failures and adverse weather conditions can escalate consequences. Beyond the immediate cargo loss, such incidents pose significant risks to seafarers, ships, and the marine environment, and also draw heightened regulatory scrutiny. The 2026 PSC CIC underscores the significance of robust cargo securing arrangements, well-maintained equipment, and adequately trained crews. The Paris and Tokyo MoUs' questionnaire targets several crucial aspects of cargo securing, such as the availability and effectiveness of the approved CSM, officers' familiarity with the CSM (including container weight distribution and weight limits), accurate cargo plans reflecting verified gross mass (VGM), availability of a Cargo Safe Access Plan (CSAP) when needed, the condition and maintenance of cargo securing equipment, measures to prevent cargo loss overboard, compliance with bridge visibility requirements, and heavy weather navigation procedures within the Safety Management System. By addressing these areas, deficiencies will be documented by PSC Officers, resulting in actions from recording deficiencies to ship detention based on their nature and severity. Members are advised to review onboard practices and shore-side oversight leading up to the campaign and ensure CSM approval, compliance with the manual, availability of equipment, crew familiarity with procedures, accurate cargo plans, CSAP readiness, and addressing any identified deficiencies. Relevant UK P&I Club publications, including \"Carefully to Carry\" chapters on stuffing, stacking, lashing containers, and lashing and securing deck cargoes, are recommended for reviewing cargo securing arrangements and preparing for PSC inspections.",
  "summary": "The Paris and Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have announced a joint Port State Control (PSC) Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on cargo securing, which will run from 1 September to 30 November 2026. The campaign will focus on compliance with SOLAS requirements relating to the loading, stowage and securing of cargo units and cargo transport ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}