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Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien and Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, Seán Canney, today announced the publication of the General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (International Conventions and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026. It has been approved by Government for drafting into legislation.

The General Scheme sets out proposals to strengthen Ireland's maritime safety and environmental protection through the implementation of several important international maritime conventions, in line with EU obligations and international standards.

The measures will enhance maritime safety by:

"The publication of this General Scheme marks another important step in strengthening Ireland's maritime legislative framework. By enabling the ratification and implementation of key international conventions, this legislation will enhance maritime safety, support environmental protection and ensure Ireland continues to meet its European and international obligations."

"This legislation reflects Ireland's ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of maritime safety and environmental protection. The proposed measures will strengthen protections for fishing vessel personnel, improve safety at sea, support environmentally responsible ship recycling, and strengthen Ireland’s framework for dealing with maritime wrecks that pose a risk to navigational safety or the marine environment. These measures will benefit Irish seafarers, maritime stakeholders and the wider public while ensuring our legislative framework remains effective and up-to-date.”

Amendments to the EU Port State Control Directive and the EU Flag State Directive, both of which come into effect on 6 July 2027, require national legislation to give effect to the latest mandatory provisions of relevant International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conventions. Compliance with these requirements is essential to ensuring Ireland meets its obligations under EU law.

A number of the measures included in the General Scheme address these EU requirements, while other provisions provide for the ratification of additional international conventions aimed at further enhancing the safety of fishing, as well as some miscellaneous provisions.

The General Scheme provides for the ratification and implementation of five new international conventions not yet ratified by the State.

One of these conventions is an International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention:

The other four conventions are IMO conventions:

The Hong Kong and Nairobi Conventions are required in order to comply with the updated EU Port State Control Directive and will strengthen maritime environmental protection.

The Scheme also provides for updates to existing Irish legislation giving effect to key IMO flag State conventions already ratified by the State, in line with the requirements of EU Flag State Directive. These include:

Fishing Vessel Safety and Standards

Changes to the EU Port State Control regime mean that, for the first time, fishing vessels have been included as a voluntary inspection category under Port State Control arrangements. As a result, Irish fishing vessels may be subject to increased inspections when calling at foreign ports, making alignment with relevant international standards increasingly important.

The General Scheme includes measures to support the ratification of three international agreements relating to fishing vessels and fishing personnel.

The Work in Fishing Convention will help ensure consistent standards for crew welfare, accommodation and working conditions in fishing. While many elements of the convention have already been given effect through EU legislation, additional legislative measures are required for complete implementation, particularly for vessels and fishers not fully covered by the EU Directive and to ensure Ireland meets its commitments under the convention.

Ratification of the STCW-F Convention will enable international recognition of qualifications for personnel serving on larger fishing vessels.

The Cape Town Agreement, which will enter into force internationally in February 2027, establishes global minimum standards for fishing vessel safety. Ireland already applies much higher fishing vessel safety standards through existing EU legislation and will continue to maintain those standards following accession to the Agreement.

Miscellaneous Maritime Provisions

The General Scheme also includes provisions relating to passenger counting requirements and maritime reporting obligations, together with a number of technical and consequential amendments to existing legislation, including: