INTERNATIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT (ISM) CODE

Preamble
1 The purpose of this Code is to provide an international standard for the safe
management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention.
2 The Assembly adopted resolution A.443(X!" by #hi$h it invited all %overnments
to ta&e the ne$essary steps to safeguard the shipmaster in the proper dis$harge of his
responsibilities #ith regard to maritime safety and the prote$tion of the marine
environment.
3 The Assembly also adopted resolution A.'()(1*!" by #hi$h it further re$ogni+ed
the need for appropriate organi+ation of management to enable it to respond to the
need of those on board ships to a$hieve and maintain high standards of safety and
environmental prote$tion.
4 ,e$ogni+ing that no t#o shipping $ompanies or shipo#ners are the same" and that
ships operate under a #ide range of different $onditions" the Code is based on general
prin$iples and ob-e$tives.
. The Code is e/pressed in broad terms so that it $an have a #idespread appli$ation.
Clearly" different levels of management" #hether shore0based or at sea" #ill re1uire
varying levels of &no#ledge and a#areness of the items outlined.
' The $ornerstone of good safety management is $ommitment from the top. n
matters of safety and pollution prevention it is the $ommitment" $ompeten$e" attitudes
and motivation of individuals at all levels that determines the end result.
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1.1 5efinitions
1.1.1 nternational 6afety 7anagement (67! Code means the nter88national
7anagement Code for the 6afe 9peration of 6hips and for Pollution Prevention as
adopted by the Assembly" as may be amended by the 9rgani+ation.
1.1.2 Company means the o#ner of the ship or any other organi+ation or person su$h
as the manager" or the bareboat $harterer" #ho has assumed the responsibility for
operation of the ship from the shipo#ner and #ho" on assuming su$h responsibility"
has agreed to ta&e over all duties and responsibility imposed by the Code.
1.1.3 Administration means the %overnment of the 6tate #hose flag the ship is
entitled to fly.
1.2 9b-e$tives
1.2.1 The ob-e$tives of the Code are to ensure safety at sea" prevention of human
in-ury or loss of life" and avoidan$e of damage to the environment" in parti$ular to the
marine environment and to property.
1.2.2 6afety0management ob-e$tives of the Company should" inter alia:
.1 provide for safe pra$ti$es in ship operation and a safe #or&ing environment;
.2 establish safeguards against all identified ris&s; and
.3 $ontinuously improve safety0management s&ills of personnel ashore and aboard
ships" in$luding preparing for emergen$ies related both to safety and environmental
prote$tion.
1.2.3 The safety0management system should ensure:
.1 $omplian$e #ith mandatory rules and regulations; and
.2 that appli$able $odes" guidelines and standards re$ommended by the 9rgani+ation"
Administrations" $lassifi$ation so$ieties and maritime industry organi+ations are
ta&en into a$$ount.
1.3 Appli$ation
The re1uirements of this Code may be applied to all ships.
1.4 <un$tional re1uirements for a safety0management system
2very Company should develop" implement and maintain a safety0management
system (676! #hi$h in$ludes the follo#ing fun$tional re1uirements:
.1 a safety and environmental0prote$tion poli$y;
.2 instru$tions and pro$edures to ensure safe operation of ships and prote$tion of the
environment in $omplian$e #ith relevant international and flag 6tate legislation;
.3 defined levels of authority and lines of $ommuni$ation bet#een" and amongst"
shore and shipboard personnel;
.4 pro$edures for reporting a$$idents and non0$onformities #ith the provisions of this
Code;
.. pro$edures to prepare for and respond to emergen$y situations; and
.' pro$edures for internal audits and management revie#s.
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2.1 The Company should establish a safety and environmental0prote$tion poli$y
#hi$h des$ribes ho# the ob-e$tives given in paragraph 1.2 #ill be a$hieved.
2.2 The Company should ensure that the poli$y is implemented and maintained at all
levels of the organi+ation both" ship0based and shore0based.
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3.1 f the entity #ho is responsible for the operation of the ship is other than the
o#ner" the o#ner must report the full name and details of su$h entity to the
Administration.
3.2 The Company should define and do$ument the responsibility" authority and
interrelation of all personnel #ho manage" perform and verify #or& relating to and
affe$ting safety and pollution prevention.
3.3 The Company is responsible for ensuring that ade1uate resour$es and shore0based
support are provided to enable the designated person or persons to $arry out their
fun$tions.
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To ensure the safe operation of ea$h ship and to provide a lin& bet#een the Company
and those on board" every Company" as appropriate" should designate a person or
persons ashore having dire$t a$$ess to the highest level of management. The
responsibility and authority of the designated person or persons should in$lude
monitoring the safety and pollution0prevention aspe$ts of the operation of ea$h ship
and ensuring that ade1uate resour$es and shore0based support are applied" as
re1uired.
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..1 The Company should $learly define and do$ument the masterBs responsibility #ith
regard to:
.1 implementing the safety and environmental0prote$tion poli$y of the Company;
.2 motivating the $re# in the observation of that poli$y;
.3 issuing appropriate orders and instru$tions in a $lear and simple manner;
.4 verifying that spe$ified re1uirements are observed; and
.. revie#ing the 676 and reporting its defi$ien$ies to the shore0based management.
..2 The Company should ensure that the 676 operating on board the ship $ontains a
$lear statement emphasi+ing the masterBs authority. The Company should establish in
the 676 that the master has the overriding authority and the responsibility to ma&e
de$isions #ith respe$t to safety and pollution prevention and to re1uest the
CompanyBs assistan$e as may be ne$essary.
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'.1 The Company should ensure that the master is:
.1 properly 1ualified for $ommand;
.2 fully $onversant #ith the CompanyBs 676; and
.3 given the ne$essary support so that the masterBs duties $an be safely performed.
'.2 The Company should ensure that ea$h ship is manned #ith 1uali88fied"
$ertifi$ated and medi$ally fit seafarers in a$$ordan$e #ith national and international
re1uirements.
'.3 The Company should establish pro$edures to ensure that ne# personnel and
personnel transferred to ne# assignments related to safety and prote$tion of the
environment are given proper familiari+ation #ith their duties. nstru$tions #hi$h are
essential to be provided prior to sailing should be identified" do$umented and given.
'.4 The Company should ensure that all personnel involved in the CompanyBs 676
have an ade1uate understanding of relevant rules" regulations" $odes and guidelines.
'.. The Company should establish and maintain pro$edures for identifying any
training #hi$h may be re1uired in support of the 676 and ensure that su$h training is
provided for all personnel $on$erned.
'.' The Company should establish pro$edures by #hi$h the shipBs personnel re$eive
relevant information on the 676 in a #or&ing language or languages understood by
them.
'.* The Company should ensure that the shipBs personnel are able to $ommuni$ate
effe$tively in the e/e$ution of their duties related to the 676.
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The Company should establish pro$edures for the preparation of plans and
instru$tions for &ey shipboard operations $on$erning the safety of the ship and the
prevention of pollution. The various tas&s involved should be defined and assigned to
1ualified personnel.
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(.1 The Company should establish pro$edures to identify" des$ribe and respond to
potential emergen$y shipboard situations.
(.2 The Company should establish programmes for drills and e/er$ises to prepare for
emergen$y a$tions
. (.3 The 676 should provide for measures ensuring that the CompanyBs organi+ation
$an respond at any time to ha+ards" a$$idents and emergen$y situations involving its
ships.
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AADA,59@6 9CC@,,23C26
C.1 The 676 should in$lude pro$edures ensuring that non0$onformities" a$$idents
and ha+ardous situations are reported to the Company" investigated and analysed #ith
the ob-e$tive of improving safety and pollution prevention.
C.2 The Company should establish pro$edures for the implementation of $orre$tive
a$tion.
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1).1 The Company should establish pro$edures to ensure that the ship is maintained
in $onformity #ith the provisions of the relevant rules and regulations and #ith any
additional re1uirements #hi$h may be established by the Company.
1).2 n meeting these re1uirements the Company should ensure that:
.1 inspe$tions are held at appropriate intervals;
.2 any non0$onformity is reported" #ith its possible $ause" if &no#n;
.3 appropriate $orre$tive a$tion is ta&en; and
.4 re$ords of these a$tivities are maintained.
1).3 The Company should establish pro$edures in its 676 to identify e1uipment and
te$hni$al systems the sudden operational failure of #hi$h may result in ha+ardous
situations. The 676 should provide for spe$ifi$ measures aimed at promoting the
reliability of su$h e1uipment or systems. These measures should in$lude the regular
testing of stand0by arrangements and e1uipment or te$hni$al systems that are not in
$ontinuous use.
1).4 The inspe$tions mentioned in 1).2 as #ell as the measures referred to in 1).3
should be integrated into the shipBs operational maintenan$e routine.
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11.1 The Company should establish and maintain pro$edures to $ontrol all do$uments
and data #hi$h are relevant to the 676.
11.2 The Company should ensure that:
.1 valid do$uments are available at all relevant lo$ations;
.2 $hanges to do$uments are revie#ed and approved by authori+ed personnel; and
.3 obsolete do$uments are promptly removed.
11.3 The do$uments used to des$ribe and implement the 676 may be referred to as
the 6afety 7anagement 7anual. 5o$umentation should be &ept in a form that the
Company $onsiders most effe$tive. 2a$h ship should $arry on board all
do$umentation relevant to that ship.
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12.1 The Company should $arry out internal safety audits to verify #hether safety
and pollution0prevention a$tivities $omply #ith the 676.
12.2 The Company should periodi$ally evaluate the effi$ien$y of and" #hen needed"
revie# the 676 in a$$ordan$e #ith pro$edures established by the Company.
12.3 The audits and possible $orre$tive a$tions should be $arried out in a$$ordan$e
#ith do$umented pro$edures.
12.4 Personnel $arrying out audits should be independent of the areas being audited
unless this is impra$ti$able due to the si+e and the nature of the Company.
12.. The results of the audits and revie#s should be brought to the attention of all
personnel having responsibility in the area involved.
12.' The management personnel responsible for the area involved should ta&e timely
$orre$tive a$tion on defi$ien$ies found.
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13.1 The ship should be operated by a Company #hi$h is issued a do$ument of
$omplian$e relevant to that ship.
13.2 A do$ument of $omplian$e should be issued for every Company $omplying #ith
the re1uirements of the 67 Code by the Administration" by an organi+ation
re$ogni+ed by the Administration or by the %overnment of the $ountry" a$ting on
behalf of the Administration in #hi$h the Company has $hosen to $ondu$t its
business. This do$ument should be a$$epted as eviden$e that the Company is $apable
of $omplying #ith the re1uirements of the Code.
13.3 A $opy of su$h a do$ument should be pla$ed on board in order that the master" if
so as&ed" may produ$e it for the verifi$ation of the Administration or organi+ations
re$ogni+ed by it.
13.4 A $ertifi$ate" $alled a 6afety 7anagement Certifi$ate" should be issued to a ship
by the Administration or organi+ation re$ogni+ed by the Administration. The
Administration should" #hen issuing the $ertifi$ate" verify that the Company and its
shipboard management operate in a$$ordan$e #ith the approved 676.
13.. The Administration or an organi+ation re$ogni+ed by the Administration should
periodi$ally verify the proper fun$tioning of the shipBs 676 as approved.