The ISM code stands for International Safety Management code. It was drafted for the safe operation of ships and pollution prevention adopted by the International Maritime Organization. It’s an international standard that aims to ensure the safety of people on board, the vessel and its cargo, and the environment.
The international shipping industry, like many others, is not without risks and dangers. Seafaring on its own entails occupational hazards during voyages. With that said, the ISM code aims to maintain a certain level of safety for ship workers while on board.
Shipping management companies are expected to pass on policies that will help achieve this objective. After all, it is their responsibility to ensure that the ship, its employees, and the cargo they’re transporting are kept safe from the beginning to the end of the voyage. The responsibility of implementing policies to maintain this standard rests on the shoulders of the shipmaster or ship manager.
While it is the company’s responsibility to develop a Safety Management System to adhere to the ISM code, the shipmaster is expected to enforce the policies. Here are some of the shipmaster’s responsibilities:
- Implement the company policy for safety and environmental protection and motivate the crew to the observation of the policy.
- Issue appropriate orders in a clear and simple manner to ensure that the standards are being met.
- Do inspections to verify that the requirements are being observed.
- Review the SMS in an effort to report any deficiencies to shore-based management.
The shipmaster is an integral player in any crew. A lot of challenges and responsibilities comewith the position. Following the ISM code should be at the top of any shipmaster’s list if hewants to be effective and reliable in his post.
However, it’s not just the shipmaster who should be looking at following the ISM code to the letter. Shipping management companies who are in charge of vessel management, ship audit, and other authorities should also put great importance on the code.
Shipping vessels should be maintained along with their equipment and other machinery on board to avoid mishaps during voyages. This will not only make sure that everything goes smoothly while at sea, but it will also make sure that accidents like oil spills are avoided. Pollution prevention is one of the most important goals that the ISM code aims to achieve.
Companies are urged to do inspections of their ships at appropriate intervals. Equipment and systems should be tested regularly as well. Routine check-ups must be integrated into the company’s processes to avoid any unwanted accidents. Records should also be kept, reported, and possible corrective actions must be taken once found after inspections.
The goal is to make voyages as safe as possible for everyone involved in it. The goal is just not simple compliance, but also maximizing efficiency by introducing better policies and methods to better the whole shipping sector. Shipmasters are at the forefront of maintaining strict safety standards for their crew, making their role every bit as important as the ISM code they are adhering to.
