
Who does ISM Code apply to? The ISM Code will be compulsorily applicable to passenger ships, oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and cargo high speed craft of 500 gt and upwards on 1st July 1998. For other cargo ships and mobile offshore units of 500 gt and upwards, it becomes compulsorily applicable on 1st July 2002.
Full Answer
What is the ISM Code?
The International Safety Management (ISM) Code provides an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships at sea.
What is an ISM company?
any company owning, operating or managing such a ship or unit. The ISM Code does not apply to government-operated ships or ships used for non-commercial purposes. Note that all RAV’s <500 GRT require a declaration that an ISM system, meeting Part A, is implemented onboard as per MO 31.
Does the ISM Code apply to Rav’s?
The ISM Code does not apply to government-operated ships or ships used for non-commercial purposes. Note that all RAV’s <500 GRT require a declaration that an ISM system, meeting Part A, is implemented onboard as per MO 31. This is to be forwarded to [email protected] before the initial voyage.
Do I need to declare my ism system to aMSa?
Note that all RAV’s <500 GRT require a declaration that an ISM system, meeting Part A, is implemented onboard as per MO 31. This is to be forwarded to [email protected] before the initial voyage.

Where does the ISM Code apply?
The ISM Code will be compulsorily applicable to passenger ships, oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and cargo high speed craft of 500 gt and upwards on 1st July 1998. For other cargo ships and mobile offshore units of 500 gt and upwards, it becomes compulsorily applicable on 1st July 2002.
What does ISM mean in ships?
MSC.195(80), Amendments to the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (International Safety Management (ISM) Code)
What does an ISM Code imply?
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.
What size of ships should voluntarily use ISM Code?
between 150 grt and 500 grtWhat size of ships should voluntarily use ISM Code? A. Ships between 150 grt and 500 grt.
How the ISM Code applies to every department?
ISM code is implemented on ships in the following ways: 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. Procedures are formed to tackle emergency situations onboard ships.
What are the the three 3 objectives of ISM Code?
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 property. 1.2.
What are the 12 elements of ISM Code?
Content of ISM:-General : Definitions. Objectives. Application. ... Safety & environmental protection policy.Company responsibilities & authority.Designated person (DPA)Master's responsibility & authority.Resources & personnel.Development of plans for shipboard operations.Emergency preparedness.More items...
When was ism extended on other ships?
Following industry feedback, the guidelines became the ISM code in November 1993 and were incorporated in a new chapter IX of the IMO's 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) in May 1994, and became mandatory for companies operating certain types of ships from 1 July 1998.
What are the 3 purpose of the ISM Code?
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 property.
What are the 12 elements of ISM Code?
Content of ISM:-General : Definitions. Objectives. Application. ... Safety & environmental protection policy.Company responsibilities & authority.Designated person (DPA)Master's responsibility & authority.Resources & personnel.Development of plans for shipboard operations.Emergency preparedness.More items...
What are the ISM certificates?
Certificates according to the ISM-Code The DOC is a certificate issued to a shipping company which complies with the requirements of the ISM-Code. The DOC confirms the types of ships which may be operated by the company, e.g., container ships or oil tankers.
What is the origin of ISM Code?
The purpose of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code is to provide an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention. The Code's origins go back to the late 1980s, when there was mounting concern about poor management standards in shipping.
What is an ISM unit?
mobile offshore drilling units propelled by mechanical means of 500 GRT or more. any company owning, operating or managing such a ship or unit. The ISM Code does not apply to government-operated ships or ships used for non-commercial purposes.
What is a RAV vessel?
A Regulated Australian Vessel (RAV) is defined in section 15 of the Navigation Act 2012. In accordance with SOLAS Chapter IX, MO 58 applies to all Convention and RAV vessels regardless of the date of construction, as follows: all passenger ships, including passenger high-speed crafts.
Does the ISM code apply to government ships?
The ISM Code does not apply to government-operated ships or ships used for non-commercial purposes.
What is the ISM code?
The International Safety Management ( ISM) Code provides an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships at sea.
Who created the ISM code?
The ISM Code was created by the IMO and Ferriby Marine's Capt. Graham Botterill, Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords in the UK on ship safety, among others.
What is a top tier policy manual?
A top tier policy manual. A procedures manual that documents what is done on board the ship, during normal operations and in emergency situations. Procedures for conducting both internal and external audits to ensure the ship is doing what is documented in the procedures manual.
Is ISM code mandatory?
The ISM Code is a chapter in SOLAS. If SOLAS does not apply then ISM is not mandatory. Compliance with ISM Code is sometimes required by vessel client regardless of Gross Tonnage ( GT).
What is the ISM code?
ISM code is International Safety Management code for the safe operation of ships and for pollution prevention, as adopted by IMO assembly.
When was the ISM code amended?
The ISM Code was amended in December 2000 by resolution MSC.104 (73), and these amendments entered into force on 1 July 2002. It was further amended in December 2004 by resolution MSC.179 (79), and these amendments entered into force on 1 July 2006.
What is SMS convention?
The convention is SOLAS 1974 as amended. The objective of SMS is to ensure compliance with mandatory rules and regulations; and that applicable codes, guidelines and standards recommended by IMO, administrations, classification societies and maritime industry organizations are taken into account.
What are the requirements for SMS?
Every company should develop, implement and maintain SMS which includes following functional requirements: A Safety and Environmental protection policy. Instructions and procedures to ensure safe operation of ships and protection of the environment in compliance with relevant international and flag State legislation.
How many grts does a ship have?
A. Ships between 150 grt and 500 grt.
What is the purpose of Establish Procedures to ensure new personnel and personnel transferred to new assignments related to safety and environment protection?
Establish procedures to ensure new personnel and personnel transferred to new assignments related to safety and environment protection are given proper familiarization with their duties.
What is major non-conformity?
Major non-conformity is an identifiable deviation that poses a serious threat to the safety of personnel or the ship or a serious risk to the environment that requires immediate corrective action and includes the lack of effective and systematic implementation of a requirement of this code.
What is the ISM code?
It is the work of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and was created with a view to providing an international standard or benchmark, for the safe management and operation of ships and for the prevention of pollution. The purpose of the Code is to ensure safe practices in ship operation and to improve shipmanagement and thereby, hopefully, improve safety on board. The emphasis is upon the implementation by a shipowner of safe operating systems and procedures both ashore and on board. The ISM Code does not introduce any new liability compensation schemes nor technical requirements as to operating standards and procedures. It is purely about management. The IMO is currently in the process of trying to raise awareness of the Code.
What is the purpose of the ISM code?
To some extent the ISM Code will codify existing practice in an individual shipowners organisation so far as ship management procedures are concerned, especially in respect of communication with shipboard personnel and compliance with mandatory rules and regulations. However, as the purpose of the Code is to establish an international standard of shipmanagement, a norm against which performance can be measured, it is almost inevitable that it will have a wide-ranging impact.
Why is the ISM Code important?
The Association believes the reduced number of claims it has witnessed in recent years, is at least in part due to the fact that the ISM Code has increased awareness of the importance of safe management and the need for the well-organised operation of ships. This is one of the reasons why the Association wishes to draw attention to and assist owners with the implementation of the Code.
Why do we need SMS?
An SMS will need to ensure that quality control procedures are established in accordance with the ISM Code. They will guarantee compliance with mandatory rules and regulations and ensure that applicable guidelines and standards recommended by bodies such as the classification societies and maritime industry organisations are taken into account.
What is a SMS in a ship?
A company that owns or operates ships will need to have in place a so-called Safety Management System (SMS). The SMS will have to address the stated objectives of the Code which are to ensure safety at sea, prevention of human injury or loss of life and the avoidance of damage to the environment, particularly the marine environment. ...
When did the ISM code become compulsorily applicable?
For other cargo ships and mobile offshore units of 500 gt and upwards, it becomes compulsorily applicable on 1st July 2002.
Who needs to obtain certification of compliance with the Code?
The shipowner or person who has assumed responsibility for operating the ship from the shipowner (e.g. a manager) will need to obtain certification of compliance with the Code. In reality this means submitting both the SMS and shorebased and shipboard management to an audit with an accredited authority, such as for example a classification society. There are two relevant certificates; the Document of Compliance (DOC) and the Safety Management Certificate (SMC).

Overview
The purpose of the ISM Code
• To ensure safety at sea and prevent damage to property, personnel and environment.
In order to comply with the ISM Code, the Company operating the vessel has to be audited first (after they submit their Safety Management System Manual (SMS) and is approved by Flag Administration or Recognized Organization (RO). Once a Company is Audited, the Document of Compliance (DOC) will be issued (validity 5 years). Every Company is subject to auditing every y…
History of the development of the ISM Code
On the evening of March 6, 1987, the cross-channel Ro-Ro ferry Herald of Free Enterprise, carrying more than 450 passengers, around 80 crew, more than 80 cars, and close to 50 freight vehicles, left the Belgian port of Zeebrugge for the English port of Dover. Soon after the Herald of Free Enterprise passed Zeebrugge's breakwater, water flooded into the ferry's lower car deck and destabilized it, causing it to sink in a matter of minutes. 193 lives were lost.
External links
• http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/HumanElement/SafetyManagement/Pages/Default.aspx
The Basic Principles of The ISM Code
Amendments to The ISM Code
Functional Requirements For SMS
Responsibilities
ISM Code Implementation on Ship
- Development of plans for shipboard operations, instructions and checklists for key shipboard operations concerning the safety of the ship and pollution prevention. Tasks involved should be defined...
- Emergency preparedness to respond to onboard emergencies. The company should establish programs for drills and exercises to prepare for emergency actions.
- Development of plans for shipboard operations, instructions and checklists for key shipboard operations concerning the safety of the ship and pollution prevention. Tasks involved should be defined...
- Emergency preparedness to respond to onboard emergencies. The company should establish programs for drills and exercises to prepare for emergency actions.
- Reports and analysis of non-conformities, accidents, and hazardous occurrences. SMS should include procedures to report and analyze above. All incidents are to be investigated with the objective of...
- Maintenance of the ship and equipment.
Certification and Verification
Questions and Answers