The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) will accelerate the development of ship safety measures in line with new decarbonisation targets.
The move was agreed at the annual IACS Council meeting following the International Maritime Organization's Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting on setting higher decarbonisation goals.
The IMO is under pressure to accelerate regulation to decarbonise the industry after last month's COP26 summit.
"Introducing the necessary alternative technologies and fuels must not happen without detailed safety requirements that support the design, fabrication and integration of equipment for systems and ships," IACS said.
It will hold an extraordinary council meeting in early 2022 to agree on more "structured and ambitious IACS actions to address decarbonisation".
The association wants to establish assurance arrangements and common technical requirements to ensure the safety of decarbonisation solutions. It also means to take into consideration the role of the seafarer in the transition.
New structure
IACS introduced a new governance structure this year to make the organisation more effective. Its London-based technical team has been expanded to meet the new demands and make it more responsive.
Chairman Nick Brown, who is also chief executive of Lloyd's Register, said: "The wide-ranging discussions and agreements reached at the 84th council meeting demonstrate clearly the key role that IACS plays in supporting the industry [to] address complex challenges, many of which require sustained commitment and new ways of working.
"The new governance changes are demonstrating their effectiveness in helping deliver practical and implementable solutions."
