What is the ICIHM (International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials)?

Definition: What is the ICIHM?

The International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials (ICIHM) is the statutory certificate issued to a ship to confirm that an approved Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) is on board and is being properly maintained throughout the ship’s operational life. It is mandated under the Hong Kong International Convention (HKC) and, for EU-flagged or EU-trading ships, under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EUSRR) 1257/2013. Under Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/116 of 19 January 2026, a single unified certificate format can now be used for both regimes.

Who needs the ICIHM?

• Every ship of 500 GT and above on international voyages under the flag of an HKC-ratifying State.
• All EU-flagged ships of 500 GT and above, and every ship calling at an EU/EEA port, regardless of flag.
• New ships must hold the ICIHM at delivery.
• Existing ships must hold the ICIHM at the first harmonised renewal survey on or after 26 June 2025, and in any case no later than 26 June 2030.
• Cyprus-flagged existing ships: from 26 February 2026.

Need to find your deadline? Use our free IHM Deadline Calculator.

What does the ICIHM attest?

The ICIHM confirms three things:

1. An IHM Part I exists on board and has been verified by a Recognised Organisation (RO) authorised by the flag state.
2. The IHM reflects the current state of the ship — materials, locations and approximate quantities.
3. A maintenance procedure is in place, run by a Designated Person (DP), so Material Declarations (MDs) and Supplier Declarations of Conformity (SDoCs) continue to flow into the IHM for every new installation, spare, or consumable brought on board.

Under EUSRR, the certificate also reflects EU-specific Annex I substances — notably PFOS (listed since 31 December 2020) and brominated flame retardants that exceed the HKC baseline.

The survey cycle

The ICIHM follows the familiar harmonised survey pattern used elsewhere in SOLAS/MARPOL:

• Initial survey — before the certificate is issued for the first time.
• Renewal survey — at intervals not exceeding 5 years.
• Additional survey — after a major conversion or repair.
• Final survey — immediately before the ship is taken out of service and recycled (this leads to the IRfRC, not the ICIHM).

ICIHM vs IRfRC — what is the difference?

Both are IHM-related certificates, but they are not interchangeable:

• The ICIHM covers the ship’s operational life, supported by IHM Part I only.
• The International Ready for Recycling Certificate (IRfRC) is issued just before the ship goes for recycling, is valid for only 90 days, and requires the complete IHM (Parts I, II and III) plus an approved Ship Recycling Plan (SRP).

For the recycling-phase certificate, see What is the EU Ship Recycling Regulation?

How to obtain and keep an ICIHM

Four practical steps:

1. Collect MDs and SDoCs from suppliers, shipyards and maintenance providers for every installation.
2. Compile IHM Part I from visual/sampling surveys aligned with the 2023 IHM Guidelines (MEPC.379(80)).
3. Nominate a Designated Person trained in IHM maintenance (our CBT Training Portal offers module VS-IHM-201 IHM Maintenance Process & Responsibilities).
4. Keep the IHM current throughout the ship’s life, with evidence retained for Port State Control and class surveys.

Port State Control and the ICIHM

PSC inspectors increasingly look past the certificate to the underlying evidence. Expect scrutiny of:

• Date of last update and the DP’s maintenance log.
• MDs/SDoCs for recent major installations.
• Annex update for PFOS-free firefighting foam following the 1 January 2026 SOLAS Chapter II-2 prohibition (IMO resolution MSC.532(107)).
• Sampling protocol and surveyor qualifications.

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