International Safety Management Code
Encyclopedia
The ISM Code provides an International standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention.
The purpose of ISM Code is:
SOLAS
adopted the ISM Code in 1994 and incorporated it into chapter IX. By 1998 much of the commercial shipping community was required to be in compliance with the ISM code. By 2002 almost all of the international shipping community was required to comply with the ISM Code.
In order to comply with the ISM Code, each ship class must have a working Safety Management System (SMS). Each SMS consists of the following elements:
Another part of the ISM is the mandatory Planned Maintenance System
which is used as a tool maintaining the vessel according to the specified maintenance intervals.
Each ISM compliant ship is audited, first by the Company (internal audit) and then each 2.5 to 3 years by the Flag State Marine Administration to verify the fulfillment and effectiveness of their Safety Management System. Once SMS is verified and it is working and effectively implemented, the ship is issued with The Safety Management Certificate. Comments from the auditor and/or audit body and from the ship are incorporated into the SMS by headquarters.
The ISM Code was created by IMO and Capt. Graham Botterill, Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords in the UK on ship safety, among others.
The purpose of ISM Code is:
- To ensure Safety at Sea
- To prevent human injury or loss of life
- To avoid damage to the environment and to the ship.
SOLAS
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea is an international maritime safety treaty. The SOLAS Convention in its successive forms is generally regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships.- History :The first version of the...
adopted the ISM Code in 1994 and incorporated it into chapter IX. By 1998 much of the commercial shipping community was required to be in compliance with the ISM code. By 2002 almost all of the international shipping community was required to comply with the ISM Code.
In order to comply with the ISM Code, each ship class must have a working Safety Management System (SMS). Each SMS consists of the following elements:
- Commitment from top management
- A Top Tier Policy Manual
- A Procedures Manual that documents what is done on board the ship
- Procedures for conducting both internal and external audits to ensure the ship is doing what is documented in the Procedures Manual
- A Designated Person to serve as the link between the ships and shore staff
- A system for identifying where actual practices do not meet those that are documented and for implementing associated corrective action
- Regular management reviews
Another part of the ISM is the mandatory Planned Maintenance System
Planned Maintenance System
The PMS - Planned Maintenance System is a paper/software-based system which allows ship owners or operators to carry out maintenance in intervals according to manufacturers and class/Classification society requirements. The maintenance, primarily supervised by the on board personnel, is then...
which is used as a tool maintaining the vessel according to the specified maintenance intervals.
Each ISM compliant ship is audited, first by the Company (internal audit) and then each 2.5 to 3 years by the Flag State Marine Administration to verify the fulfillment and effectiveness of their Safety Management System. Once SMS is verified and it is working and effectively implemented, the ship is issued with The Safety Management Certificate. Comments from the auditor and/or audit body and from the ship are incorporated into the SMS by headquarters.
The ISM Code was created by IMO and Capt. Graham Botterill, Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords in the UK on ship safety, among others.
External links
- http://www.imo.org/HumanElement/mainframe.asp?topic_id=287
- http://www.novaveritas.net/ism-audit.htm
- http://www.ukshipregister.co.uk/ukr-home/merchant/guidetoregistration-holding/ism-code.htm