Hi everyone,
With the new IMO mandates kicking in for 2026, we’ve seen a growing number of international buyers and brokers making costly mistakes when evaluating secondhand Chinese tonnage.
A common pitfall is purchasing low-cost ZC-classed vessels, unaware that ZC operates strictly under non-IACS domestic rules and CANNOT be converted to major international societies (BV, LR, DNV, etc.). The only viable pathway for export is sourcing Domestic CCS tonnage and executing a structured CCS-to-IACS transition.
Our technical desk at ShipsTrading just published a technical intelligence report breaking down:
• ZC Class Dead-End vs. The CCS Bridge
• 2026 IMO Mandatory Upgrades: BWMS (MARPOL Annex I), GMDSS Area A3 (SOLAS Ch. IV), and SOLAS Fire Safety.
• China MSA De-registration & Export Legal Workflow.
• Regulatory Cost Index (RCI) Formula for CAPEX valuation.
You can review the full whitepaper on SlideShare here:
Or visit our technical hub directly: https://www.shipstrading.com
Hope this provides practical value for anyone handling S&P or technical management for Chinese assets. Happy to answer any technical questions here!
Best regards,
Simon Line | ShipsTrading Technical Desk