Regulatory Framework

Grain transportation by sea follows a distinct and well-defined regulatory framework. Unlike most other bulk cargoes, grain falls under its own dedicated international code — separate from the IMSBC Code, which governs other solid bulk cargoes.

The International Grain Code, formally known as the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Grain in Bulk, the IMO Maritime Safety Committee adopted via resolution MSC.23(59). It entered into force on 1 January 1994 and forms a mandatory part of SOLAS Chapter VI. The Code applies to ships regardless of size, including those of less than 500 gross tonnage, engaged in the carriage of grain in bulk, to which Part C of SOLAS Chapter VI applies. Part A of the Code lays down specific requirements relating to stability information, stability criteria, the stowage of bulk grain, grain fittings, and divisions — i.e., shifting boards — together with strict rules covering saucers, bundling, over-stowing, strapping, lashing, and wire mesh as means of eliminating heeling moments in a partially filled compartment. Part B deals with the calculation of heeling moments and general assumptions. 

The term “grain” covers wheat, maize (corn), oats, rye, barley, rice, pulses, seeds, and processed forms thereof, whose behavior resembles that of grain in its natural state. The purpose of the Code is to provide a global standard for the safe carriage of grain in bulk. 

Document of Authorization and the Grain Loading Manual

Before a vessel loads any grain, it must hold a Document of Authorization. The Document of Authorization serves as evidence that the ship is capable of complying with the requirements of the Code, and it must accompany or be incorporated into the Grain Loading Manual, which contains the information enabling the master to meet the stability requirements of the Code. A ship without a Document of Authorization must not load grain until the master satisfies the flag State Administration, or the SOLAS Contracting Government of the port of loading, that the ship will comply with the requirements of the International Grain Code in its proposed loaded condition. 

In the United States, the National Cargo Bureau holds the sole authority to issue grain approvals on behalf of the U.S. Administration. Vessels that lack a permanent Document of Authorization may still operate under a Single Voyage Approval

2026 Amendments to the Code

The IMO Maritime Safety Committee adopted resolution MSC.552(108) at its 108th session in May 2024. These amendments entered into force on 1 January 2026 and apply to both new and existing ships that intend to carry grain under the newly defined loading condition.

Previously, the Code recognized three main permissible loading conditions for each cargo hold. The core of the amendments is the introduction of a fourth permissible loading condition: a specially suitable compartment, partly filled in the way of the hatch opening, with ends untrimmed. Since trimming the ends is labour-intensive, workers do not always carry it out in practice. When they omit trimming in partly filled holds, the actual voids in the ends exceed those assumed by the previous calculation method, meaning the actual grain shifting moment is larger than the calculated value. The new condition addresses this gap directly. 

Ships intending to use this new loading condition must update their Grain Loading Manuals and onboard grain loading computers to incorporate the new condition and calculation assumptions, and submit the updated documentation to the flag State Administration or a recognized organization for approval.

Precautions for Safe Grain Loading

Several precautions are necessary to ensure the safe loading of grain onto a vessel. The most important ones fall into three phases: before loading, during loading, and before departure.

Before loading:

• The shipper must provide the master with information about the cargo.
• The vessel must meet intact stability criteria at all stages of the intended voyage.
• All loading planning should take stability into account from the start.
• Cargo holds require thorough cleaning, and the crew should check bilges and verify the weather tightness of hatches.
• An initial draft survey should take place before the start of loading.

During loading:

• The crew should continuously monitor hull stresses.
• The cargo must be trimmed according to the loading plan.
• The crew should watch for any signs of cargo damage.
• Moorings require frequent inspection throughout the operation.

Before departure:

• The master must verify that the cargo is properly secured to minimize heeling moments.
• All cargo holds need closing and appropriate securing to keep seawater out in adverse weather.
• The master should calculate the final stability condition after loading completion.

The Hazard of Grain Shift

Grain presents a specific physical hazard at sea: it shifts. Grain has a tendency to settle and shift within a ship’s cargo compartments. A compartment may be full when the crew loads the cargo but, due to ship vibration and other movements, the grain settles and leaves space at the top. This space allows cargo to move from side to side in conjunction with the rolling and pitching of the vessel. 

Bulk grain, because of its semi-fluid properties, does not return to its original position after shifting. Instead, it can invite further movement from the surrounding cargo, causing a progressive list. A shift of grain can cause a vessel to list to a dangerous degree — and she may even capsize. 

Most grains have an angle of repose of approximately 20° from the horizontal. If a vessel rolls beyond 20°, the cargo shifts and the vessel takes on a list to one side. The vessel then rolls further in the same direction, the list increases, and the situation can escalate to capsizing.

Trimming Requirements and Cargo Securing

To prevent cargo shift, the Grain Code requires specific trimming and securing procedures depending on the loading condition of each cargo hold.

• Filled, trimmed compartment: All spaces under the deck and hatch covers must fill to the maximum extent possible.
• Filled, untrimmed compartment: The bulk grain must fill the hold to the maximum extent in the area of the hatch opening, but may rest at its natural angle of repose outside the periphery of the hatch opening. 
• Partly filled compartment: The grain surface requires over-stowing, unless the master has calculated the heeling moments from a potential grain shift and confirmed they fall within the vessel’s stability limits.
• Longitudinal divisions (shifting boards): Longitudinal divisions may reduce heeling moments due to grain shift in filled trimmed, filled untrimmed, and partly filled compartments, provided that each division is grain-tight, built to Grain Code standards, extends from deck to deck in tweendecks, and extends downward from the underside of the hatch covers.

Grain Handling in Polish Ports 

Poland is a major grain exporter, and its seaports play a key role in that trade. Around one third of domestic grain production goes to export each year. In 2024, Polish ports handled 8.4 million tonnes of grain exports; in 2025 that figure fell to 4.8 million tonnes, and in the first eleven months of 2025 to 4.8 million tonnes.

The combined monthly handling capacity of the ports of Gdańsk, Gdynia, Szczecin, and Świnoujście exceeds one million tonnes of grain, with an estimated annual maximum of around 13 million tonnes.