AI digest
IMO data reporting update: what it means for operators.
New IMO guidance on vessel data formats is in effect. Here is the practical impact for integration teams.
This is an AI-curated digest of the IMO MEPC 82 resolution on data reporting standards. It is reviewed by the editorial team before publication.
The IMO has published revised guidance on how operators should encode voyage and fuel data for regulatory submission. The high-level summary:
- Data format converges on JSON. Legacy XML remains accepted until 2028 but new implementations should target JSON payloads aligned to the updated MEPC schema.
- Fuel oil consumption fields are extended to separate fossil and non-fossil components. Operators using blended bunkers should begin tracking component ratios now rather than at submission time.
- Port state controls gain an explicit arrival-data checkpoint. The checkpoint requires a single API call to the national data hub rather than the bilateral emails many operators still rely on.
For integration teams, the practical work is threefold: upgrade the schema, extend the fuel recorder, and wire the arrival checkpoint into the existing port-call workflow. None of that is large, but all of it is now a 2026 deadline item.
Full guidance text is available on the IMO documents portal.