SOLAS Chapter IX: The ISM code
International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention
Relevant documents and M-notices: SOLAS, ISM code, Resolution A.1118(30), Resolution A.741(18)
What is it?
The ISM code is the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention. It is usually referred to as the International Safety Management code, or simply the ISM code. In this article we will refer to it as the ISM code, or the code.
Who does it apply to?
From SOLAS Chapter IX, regulation 2:
This chapter applies to ships, regardless of the date of construction, as follows:
passenger ships including passenger high-speed craft
cargo ships and mobile offshore drilling units of 500 gross tonnage and upwards
The code applies to all passenger ships (remember, a passenger ship is any ship that carries more than 12 passengers) regardless of size, and to all cargo ships and mobile offshore drilling units of 500GT and up engaged in international voyages.
Where does it come from?
The ISM code is required under chapter IX of the SOLAS convention and it came into force in 2002. The origin of the code was in late 1980s with the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster; this led to the IMO, already concerned about poor management practices in shipping, to call on the Maritime Safety Committee to develop guidelines for the safe management of ships.
SOLAS Chapter IX and the ISM code are made into UK law by The Merchant Shipping (International Safety Management (ISM) Code) Regulations 2014; we will refer to these as the regulations.
What is the ISM code?
The ISM code consists of a set of minimum standards for ship-based and shore-based management. The code recognises that no two shipping companies are the same and that ships operate under a wide range of different conditions, so it is based on general principles and objectives and is expressed in broad terms so that it can have a widespread application. This allows companies the scope to develop their own safety management system (SMS) to meet the standards of the ISM Code.
What does it require?
The ISM Code requires owners and operators of ships to put in place a Safety Management System (SMS). Adherence to this SMS must ensure compliance with the rules and regulations related to the code.
What is the SMS?
From the regulations:
“safety management system” means a structured and documented system enabling ISM company personnel to implement effectively the ISM company’s safety and environmental protection policy
We’ll go deeper into the requirements for and the development of a SMS later in this article.
Who is the ISM company?
The ISM company are in charge of the management of the ship. This is defined in the regulations, presumably to stop owners and managers from attempting to shift the responsibility onto the other: