IACS announced that, with effect from July 1, Mr Alex Gregg-Smith, President Marine & Offshore at Bureau Veritas, has assumed his duties as Chair of the IACS Council having been unanimously elected in December 2025.
In preparation, Alex Chaired the 93rd meeting of the IACS Council (C93) which took place in Busan on 17/18 June where he set out his vision for his term in office. In his opening speech, Alex highlighted that increasing geo-political upheaval and irregular operating conditions, exacerbated by disruptive technologies, reinforce the need for apolitical, technical leadership from IACS if quality shipping standards are to be upheld across the globe. He added that by speaking with a single, powerful voice, IACS can add significant value to the many technical and regulatory debates that are currently taking place, and which will determine the future shape of the industry.
These priorities were reflected in the subsequent discussions at C93 with the IACS Members focusing on ensuring the highest quality of operations, including enhanced engagement with the Quality Advisory Committee and with International Quality Assessment Review Body (IQARB) a renewed commitment to technical leadership and industry engagement in the ongoing evolution of the Common Structural Rules; and enhanced digital solutions available to IACS stakeholders to be delivered via a comprehensive modernization of the structure and publication of the IACS Resolutions and other publications.
IACS Council reaffirmed the commitment of its Members to provide impartial, non-commercial advice to the IMO and other regulatory bodies, a contribution that continues to be valued by Member States, IGOs and NGOs. Council further emphasized that the role of classification as a cornerstone of maritime safety should be fully recognized, and that classification expertise should be drawn upon from the earliest design stage of maritime safety policies, and consistently across all jurisdictions, so that regulatory measures are informed by practical, in-service experience from the outset.
C93 considered it essential for Class societies to be able to provide uniform minimum technical requirements within their individual rule sets to better assist the industry with the safe and rapid deployment of new technologies and alternative fuels. As such, regulatory oversight should respect the benefits of the Class cycle and the unique, and uniquely valuable, role of Classification in providing international shipping with a globally recognized and enforceable system of independent technical assurance.
IACS Council also discussed the impending changes to the Paris MoU’s Scoring Methodology for Recognised Organisations (ROs) and highlighted the importance of maintaining confidence in PSC data, when such data are used in decision making and performance assessment - and which is widely relied upon as a key performance indicator across the industry. Council emphasised that such confidence is best safeguarded where the underlying processes are transparent, consistent and proportionate — supported by robust quality assurance of Port State inspections, fair and accessible means for ROs to have findings reviewed where appropriate, and due regard to the limits of ROs' responsibilities under the international regulatory framework.
IACS stands ready to engage constructively with all stakeholders so that the methodology evolves in a way that strengthens, rather than diminishes, trust in this important element of the safety assurance regime.
On other matters, C93 was pleased to note the Association’s strong engagement at IMO, the substantial progress being made by IACS’s Panels on Safe Digital Transformation and Safe Decarbonisation, and IACS’ engagement with industry across a variety of Joint Working Groups.
“It is a great honor to lead IACS at this pivotal time,” said Gregg-Smith.
“Class is evolving rapidly and IACS has played a vital role in the global success story that is shipping. While our industry is bigger - and now safer - than ever, we must grasp the opportunities of new technologies and digitalisation to develop new solutions to further drive safety, security and performance.”
“I want to underline our work on safety, especially for new fuels and where we are leading the way in the continuous improvement of ships’ structural integrity, through our ongoing evolution of the Common Structural Rules (CSR). Above all, we need to listen to, and work with, our key stakeholders: shipowners, shipyards and flag states, as we develop new technical standards.
“Shifting geopolitical realities and market dynamics, combined with regulatory uncertainty and fast-moving technological developments all serve to make the role of Class, and IACS, more important than ever. IACS will have to keep evolving while remaining true to our four foundational pillars of Leadership, Technical Knowledge, Quality Performance and Transparency.”