The IMO Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 12) has finalised a revision of interim guidance on the use of methyl and ethyl alcohols as marine fuels and agreed a harmonised performance standard for lashing software to sit alongside the Cargo Securing Manual.
The 12th session of CCC met from 14 to 18 September 2026, and sources indicated the outcomes on 25 September 2026. The document describing the session notes both the completed revision to the interim methanol/ethanol fuel guidance and the new lashing-software standard as primary outputs of the week of meetings.
The revision concerns interim guidelines that address the carriage and use of methyl and ethyl alcohols as fuel on ships. The session’s work is presented as a consolidation of earlier measures and moves the guidance towards a clearer, harmonised set of interim provisions for these alcohol-based fuels.
Revised interim guidelines for alcohol fuels
CCC 12’s finalisation of the revised interim guidance updates a framework for vessels that use methyl or ethyl alcohol as fuel. The wording in the session report indicates an intent to refine technical and operational advice within the interim document to reflect accumulated experience and ongoing safety considerations.
The changes, as reported, relate specifically to the documents governing the interim use of those alcohols and do not purport to be a permanent regulatory instrument. Ship operators, fuel suppliers and designers will look to the amended interim guidance for detail on how the fuels are to be handled, stowed and used while broader regulatory work continues at the International Maritime organisation.
Harmonised performance standard for lashing software
In addition to the fuel guidance, CCC 12 added a harmonised performance standard for lashing software to supplement the Cargo Securing Manual. The standard is described as a performance requirement intended to sit alongside established cargo-securing documentation rather than to replace manual elements of stowage planning.
The new lashing-software standard aims to provide consistent expectations for the performance of the digital tools used in cargo securing, according to the session report. By framing the requirement as a harmonised performance standard, the sub-committee sought to establish a common baseline that developers and users of such software can measure against.
Taken together, the two principal outcomes from CCC 12 reflect a continuing effort to adapt IMO guidance to new fuels and to the growing role of software in cargo operations. The revision of interim alcohol-fuel guidance and the lashing-software standard are presented in the session materials as complementary parts of a programme of technical work addressing safety, operational practice and supporting documentation.
Stakeholders in the commercial shipping sector will now assess how the revised interim guidance and the newly introduced software standard interact with existing company procedures, class rules and flag-state requirements. The session report, as reported on 25 September 2026, sets out the measures agreed at CCC 12 without prescribing immediate, mandatory regulatory change beyond the interim guidance itself.
CCC 12’s decisions form part of the incremental process by which IMO sub-committees refine technical guidance ahead of any formal adoption by higher IMO bodies. The outcomes from the week of meetings held from 14 to 18 September 2026 will be of interest to shipowners, equipment manufacturers and developers of cargo-planning systems as they adapt to evolving expectations on fuel choice and cargo securing practice.