International Safety Management (ISM) Code


Introduction:
ISM ( International Safety Management ) Code means the International Management Code for the Safe operation of ships and for Pollution Prevention. ISM Code aims to ensure safety at sea, prevention of human injury or loss of life, and avoidance of damage to the environment, particularly the marine environment, and to the property. ISM emphasises on the essential ingredient of Shipping Management that, every company should develop, implement and maintain a Safety Management System ( SMS ) to the Code. But this does not mean that the code is trying to tell the company how to go about running their business. It is up to the company how to go about implementing the codes.

Safety Management System (SMS):
The SMS must incorporate the following:

Adopting ISM Code:
To achieve the aims of ISM Code, each company should establish a safety and environmental protection ( SEP ) policy which is implemented and maintained by all staffs both ashore and onboard ship.

Preamble To The Code

  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 (XI) (on 15th November 1979) by which it invited all Governments to take the necessary steps to safeguard the shipmaster in the proper discharge of his responsibilities with regard to maritime safety and the protection of the marine environment.
  3. The Assembly also adopted resolution A. 680 (17) (on 6th November 1991) by which it further recognized the need for appropriate organization of management to enable it to respond to the need of those on board ships to achieve and maintain high standards of safety and environmental protection.
  4. Recognizing that no two shipping companies or shipowners are the same, and that ships operate under a wide range of different conditions, the Code is based on general principles and objectives.
  5. The Code is expressed in board termss so that it can have a widespread application. Clearly, different levels of management, whether shore - based or at sea, will require varying levels of knowledge and awareness of the items outlined.
  6. The cornerstone of good safety management is commitment from the top. In matters of safety and pollution prevention, it is the commitment, competence, attitudes and motivation of individuals at all levels that determines the end results.

1. General Description:
1.1 Definitions
1.1.1 " International Safety Management (ISM) Code means the International Management code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention as adopted by the Assembly, as may be amended by the Organization."
1.1.2 " Company " means the Owner of the ship or any other organization or person such as the Manager, or the Bareboat Charterer, who has assumed the responsibility for operation of the ship from the Shipowner and who on assuming such responsibility has agreed to take over all the duties and responsibility imposed by the code.
1.1.3 " Administration " means the Government of the State whose flag the ship is entitled to fly.

1.2 Objectives
1.2.1 The objectives of the Code are to ensure safety at sea, prevention of human injury or loss of life, and avoidance of damage to the environment, in particular, to the marine environment, and to the property.
1.2.2 Safety management objectives of the Company should, inter alia :
.1 provide for safe practices in ship operation and safe working environment ;
.2 establish safeguards against all identified risks ; and
.3 continuously improve safety management skills of personnel ashore and aboard ships, including preparing for the emergencies related both to safety and environmental protection.

1.2.3 The safety and management system should ensure :
.1 compliance with mandatory rules and regulations ; and
.2 that applicable codes, guidelines and standards recommended by the Organization,Administrations, classification societies and maritime industry organizations are taken into account.

1.3 Application
The requirements of this Code may be applied to all ships.

1.4 Functional requirements for a Safety Management System ( SMS )
Every Company should develop, implement and maintain a Safety Management System ( SMS ) which includes the following functional requirements :
.1 a safety and environmental protection policy ;
.2 instructions and procedures to ensure safe operation of the ships and protection of the environment in compliance with relevant international and flag State legislation;
.3 defined levels of authority and lines of communication between, and amongst, shore and shipboard personnel ;
.4 procedures for reporting accidents and non-conformities with the provisions of this Code;
.5 procedures to prepare for and respond to emergency situations ; and
.6 procedures for internal audits and management reviews.

2. Safety And Environmental Protection Policy
2.1 The Company should establish a safety and environmental protection policy which describes how the objectives given in paragraph 1.2 will be achieved.
2.2 The Company should ensure that the policy is implemented and maintained at all levels of the organization, both ship based as well as shore based.

2.1 Policy

2.2 Implementation
A strategy for implementation should be considered at the time the policy is developed, including how best to ensure that all employees understand its content and the commitment displayed by senior management to its objectives.

3. Company Responsibility And Authority:
3.1 If the entity who is responsible for the operation of the ship is other than the owner, the owner must report the full name and details of such entity to the Administration.
3.2 The Company should define and document the responsibility, authority and interrelation of all personnel who manage, perform and verify work relating to and affecting safety and pollution prevention.

3.2 Responsibility and Authority

4. Designated Person(s):
To ensure the safe operation of each ship and to provide a link between the company and those on board, every company, as appropriate, should designate a person or persons ashore having direct access to the highest level of management. The responsibility and authority of the designated person or persons should include monitoring the safety and pollution prevention aspects of the operation of each ship and to ensure that adequate resources and shore based support are applied, as required. For any management system to be adequately maintained, it is necessary for: * its effectiveness and degree of implementation to be verified:

The task of implementing and maintaining the SMS is a line - management responsibility. Verification and monitoring activities should be carried out by a person independent of the responsibility for implementation.