How is ISM Code Implemented On Ships?
The International safety management (ISM) code ensures the safety of life and ship at sea by implementing various safe practices on board ships.
ISM code works with the motive of satisfying three important goals:
- Safety of people on board
- Safety of ship and cargo
- Safety of the marine environment
For implementing ISM code on ships, all the three – the shipping company, the governing authority, and the ship’s crew together play an important role.
Every seafarer should know the important aspects of the ISM code in order to create a safe working environment while at sea.
ISM code is implemented on ships in the following ways:
Plans and checklists form the most integral part of the implementation procedure of the ISM code on ships. Checklists for safe starting and stopping of shipboard machinery, along with plans to carry out various work procedures on board ship ensures the safety of the ship and marine environment.
Plans and checklists also include accurate defining of tasks to be carried out by each crew member of the ship. ( Download our free ebook on important checklists here)
Procedures are formed to tackle emergency situations onboard ships. This emergency preparedness to respond to emergencies is inculcated in the ship’s staff through drills and various emergency training programmes.
Every activity on a ship is a team effort. Effective team meetings and discussions help in a great way to take the security of the ship to an all-new level. (Find out how to conduct effective team meetings on board ships)
In order to ensure the utmost safety of the ship, the ISM code targets the very basics of the ship’s functioning – ensuring proper maintenance of the ship’s machinery. This includes
- Inspection of ship machinery at regular intervals of time
- Taking the right actions in case of non-conformity
- Keeping a record of the causes and maintenance activities for future reference
- Regular testing of equipment and systems
- Training ship personnel and keeping them updated with the latest in the industry
A maintenance plan is made in order to carry out ship machinery and repair work. Know how to make a ship maintenance plan here. (What to add in ship’s engine room planned maintenance system? Know it here)
Every ship has a safety committee, along with a safety officer, to discuss and implement new safe working practices and update the existing ones. The master of the ship is the chairman of the committee and ensures proper functioning of the same.
Every detail of the ship is noted down in valid documents, which are available all the time onboard the ship. These documents are reviewed at regular intervals of time during audits.
All the changes in the documents are reviewed and approved by the authorized personnel. Moreover, all the documents necessary for the safety of the ship are mentioned in the SMS manual.
The shipping company pays an important role to ensure that the ISM code is properly implemented on the ships. The company also appoints a safety officer, who is required to carry out his duties properly by providing all the necessary information regularly.
Following strict safety policies implemented under the ISM code not only helps in ensuring the safety of life and environment but also benefits the shipping company in a variety of ways.
The type of procedures adopted for a ship under the ISM code depends on the type of the ship and the shipping company.
You might also like to read:
- ISM Code: A Burden for Seafarers?
- What ISM Certificates You Require to Start a Shipping Company?
- 18 Serious Offences under Merchant Navy Code of Conduct Resulting into Dismissal from Job at Sea
- Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS); The Ultimate Guide
- MARPOL (The International Convention for Prevention of Marine Pollution For Ships): The Ultimate Guide
- What is IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS)?
Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.
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About Author
Raunek Kantharia is a marine engineer turned maritime writer and entrepreneur. After a brief stint at the sea, he founded Marine Insight in 2010. Apart from managing Marine Insight, he also writes for a number of maritime magazines and websites.
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hi raunak
good work! keep it up
well done sir,
HI
I have a question ,
is ism implemention ths same all over the world…
Please advise.
Thanks
With Regards
Vishal
Yes. It is a universal Code for safe ship management procedures
Nice!
i want to ask:
in the ISM ,which types of ships will operate first
Does anyone has an ISM Audit Check list (survey) to share with me?
……. MY BEST REGARDS FOR SAVING ME FOR A QUICK NEEDS FOR MY PRESENTATION……..
Sometimes I get confused… Is ISM MANUAL the same as the SMS MANUAL AND IS IT A GENERAL MANUAL FOR ANY VESSEL
someone know the list of the ISM procedures on board?