7 important elements of ISM Code every seafarer must know about

Clearly, different levels of management, whether shore-based or at sea, will require varying levels of knowledge and awareness of the items outlined. A. It is the documentation used to describe and implement the Safety Management System (SMS). Our free, fast, and fun newsletter on the global maritime industry, delivered everyday. This podcast on the maritime matters will provide value to the listeners. Dear sir good day, I m second engineer since last 10 years, now I m going for my chief exams.

A Company here means the owner of the ship or any organization, a person such as a manager, or the bareboat charterer, who has the responsibility for the operation of the ship from the shipowner. Administration refers to the government of the state whose flag the vessel flies, and so it abides by that state legislation and international norms. Such NC can be closed by training of “filling up and use of bunker checklist” for all engine room staff. Corrective actions need to be monitored after next bunkering and correctly filled next bunkering checklist along with training record will act as the supporting documents for close out of this NC.

ARPA and ICS join forces for the improvement of global shipping

The ISM Code was amended in December 2000 by resolution MSC.104(73), and these amendments entered into force on 1 July 2002. It was further amended in December 2004 by resolution MSC.179(79), and these amendments entered into force on 1 July 2006. It was further amended in May 2005 by resolution MSC.195(80), and these amendments entered into force on 1 January 2009. The ISM Code was also amended in December 2008 by resolution MSC.273(85). This resolution was adopted on 1 January 2010, and the amendments entered into force on 1 July 2010.

Most of the flags also require the company to fill a form called “Declaration of the company“. Which is a self declaration by the company stating they are the “company” for the listed ships as required by the ISM code. There is a further requirement that senior ship officers should have a working knowledge of the ISM Code’s (International Safety Management Code) requirements while the crew must certainly be aware of the basic safety drill requirements. “Auditor” means a person who is qualified and authorized to carry out ISM audits in accordance with the requirements of ISM code.

First barge built at Methil Shipyard

In case of a major non-conformity, its possible cause should be outlined. While the company carries out the internal safety audits, the external auditing is carried out every two to three years by the country’s officials to which the vessel is registered. The ISM Code was adopted in 1993 by resolution A.741(18) and entered into force on 1 July 1998. The 1994 amendments to SOLAS Convention introduced chapter IX into the Convention regarding the management for the safe operation of ships.

• The Herald of Free Enterprise was a modern ferry equipped with advanced technology and operated by a highly qualified crew.
• The code highlights that in matters of safety, it is the efforts, competence and motivation of individuals that help achieve a positive result.
• In order to comply with the ISM Code, the Company operating the vessel has to be audited first (after they submit their Safety Management System Manual (SMS) and is approved by Flag Administration or Recognized Organization (RO).
• The International Safety Management Code includes all the international conventions such as the SOLAS 74, MARPOL 73/78 etc.

ISM Code (International Safety Management Code) requires formal procedures for all activity relating to the safe management and operation of the ship both in the offices ashore and in the ship afloat. In the same way as in other ‘quality systems’, the procedures need to be fully documented. The best practice is to write the ISM Code (International Safety Management Code) procedures in-house so that they reflect the best actual practice used in the company. All employees both ashore and afloat need to be inducted into the system although the degree of involvement will vary considerably with seniority and areas of responsibility. The Code defines that ‘Company’ holds the responsibility to take over all duties imposed by the Code, incorporating SMS into normal business operations. It also requires internal & external audits, certificates, a Designated person who will be a link between ship and shore and clarifies levels of authority and lines of communications.

What does ISM stand for?

Particularly, the total loss of the MV Herald of Free Enterprise in 1987 with a tremendous passenger death toll was almost entirely the result of a lack of safety management procedures. This incident was followed by the loss of MV Estonia, safety management was certainly a factor. Notwithstanding, many of the total what does ism stand for in the ism code losses that occurred during this period were less high profile but a significant number of bulk carriers were very severely damaged or lost, sometimes without a trace of ship or crew. Principally large bulk carriers but there were also some new and well-maintained container ships were very severely damaged or lost.

Ship’s SMS requires that certain critical spares need to be on board all the time. Ship’s SMS also require that charts and publications need to be kept update and maintained in good condition. In this case the DOC should be issued by the DNV on behalf of Hong Kong flag.

Ship Certificates

I will highly appreciate you the way you have written, u made this subject very interesting. Just only becoz of you I m very much confident about my exams, thank a lot Sahab…looking forward some matter on ship chartering from ur side. This is different from an observation because in this case a specific requirement of the ISM code was not met. Non-conformity means an observed situation where objective evidence indicates the non-fulfilment of a specified requirement. Both of these are observations because the ship is complying with the requirement of SMS. But if these situations are not corrected, it may lead to a non-conformity.

The certificate is valid for five years and it requires to be endorsed annually. ISM code requires that internal audit of each vessel should be conducted at least every 12 months. Nevertheless, the ISM Code (International Safety Management Code) now dictates that records of the recruitment of key personnel be kept and that training records are up to date. Crew training is a requirement of STCW (Standards in Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) which is another IMO convention relating to training standards. The requirements of the ISM Code may be applied to all commercial ships over 500 GT.

It is a structured and well-documented system that enables company personnel to implement the company’s safety and environmental policies, making it an essential component of its functioning. Also, a document of compliance is issued to each company that complies with this code’s requirements. All valid documents must be available at relevant offices, and obsolete documents can be removed.

ISM Code became available to the shipping industry and its mandatory application commenced on 1 July 1998. The person responsible is to ensure safe operation of each ship and provide a link between the company and the crew. The seafarers must be aware of the code’s provisions and try their best to abide by the prescribed rules and regulations and the Safety management rules of the company they are working for. The latter aspect comes under the ambit of the Planned Maintenance System. Every shipping corporation is expected to conduct auditory analyses of its safety management system and enforce the same wherever lacking. In other words, it can also be highlighted that the ISM Code Shipping is an intrinsic part of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in its efforts to ensure, maintain and effectuate safety for the seafarers and pollution prevention.

After 20 years of implementation, the industry still examines the effectiveness of the Code, as there are plenty of seafarers and shore staff who feel that ISM Code has only brought more paper work to daily operations. However, the general idea and the objective of the Code is to enhance safety culture based on a documented and assessed operation environment in which each one has a specific role and responsibility (both ashore and on board personnel). The DPA should have direct access to the highest level of management. Responsibility and authority of the DPA should include monitoring safety and pollution prevention aspects of the operation of each ship and ensuring adequate resources and shore-based support are applied, as required.

• In this case the DOC should be issued by the DNV on behalf of Hong Kong flag.
• The certificate is valid for five years and require intermediate (between 2-3 years from date of issue) verification.
• The requirement of this code is applied to all kinds of ships and highlights the company’s environmental protection policy.
• IMO in its MSC circ 1059 and MEPC circ 401 has given the detailed guidelines on the procedure to handle major non-conformities identified during ISM audits.
• Safety management certificate is also issued by the flag of the ship or by its classification society on behalf of the flag.

The company should establish in SMS that the master has the overriding authority and responsibility to make decisions with respect to safety and pollution prevention and to request company’s assistance as may be necessary. If the owner is not responsible for the implementation of the code, he must inform the Flag State Administration (FSA) the name and details of the entity. The company should define and document responsibilities, authorities, and interrelation of all personnel who manage, perform and verify work related to and affecting safety and pollution prevention. Company is responsible for ensuring that adequate resources and shore-based support are provided to enable DPA to carry out their functions.

The Code was further amended in June 2013 by resolution MSC.353(92) and these amendments entered into force on 1 January 2015. 1.1.3 “Administration” means the Government
of the State whose flag the ship is entitled to fly.

This incorporates internal audits as well as management reviews which are company responsibilities. The company should ensure that SMS operating on ship contains a clear statement emphasizing the master’s authority. The Company should ensure that the master is properly qualified for command, fully conversant with the company’s SMS and given the necessary support for the safe performance of the master’s duties.

If I have to differentiate between a Minor Non conformity and a major non conformity, I will do that with one point. Also a number of small deficiencies on record keeping can be considered as a major non conformity. For example, a single deficiency on Marpol equipments or Life saving appliances can be a major non conformity. From the ship’s point of view, we must ensure that we have correct DOC on board. There are two statutory certificates that are required as per ISM code. The first point means that company need to provide the instructions to the ship in form of SMS manual.

ISM code has not mentioned any time frame for this review but as per the understanding of industry experts, it should be done at least annually. In an effective system, DPA will be a senior person in the company who has some authority and control over the company’s activities. This means that the superintendents of the vessel cannot carry out the internal audit of the vessels they are managing.