In an exclusive interview to SAFETY4SEA, Ian J McLeod, Managing Director at the Dry Bulk Centre of Excellence (DBCE), shares insights into the new DryBMS platform. He highlights that this self-assessment tool can help ship managers evaluate their performance and advance the industry beyond mere compliance.
In addition to discussing the DryBMS requirements, Ian emphasizes the importance of adopting safety metrics, investing in advanced monitoring technologies, and fostering a culture of continuous safety training. While using DryBMS is voluntary, those who participate are pioneering a new safety standard, he underscores and refers to their new Verification Audit System, set to launch this December
SAFETY4SEA: What are the key challenges for the dry bulk industry over the next five years, and what are the top priorities on your agenda to address them?
Ian J McLeod: The Key challenges are change, investment and decarbonisation. Shipping and the dry bulk sector in particular are vital to the world, about 100,00 ships move over 10 billion tonnes of cargo from port to port every year. That is about one tonne of cargo for every person in the world! Every company must have operational excellence, especially safety as their mission. The world is changing at a staggering pace, companies need to be ready to take on any change at short notice. Shareholders and lenders are being scrutinised by regulators and the market, to prove they are acting and investing responsibly. It is vital to address the business impact on the environment and drive the decarbonisation agenda. By using the DryBMS companies can assess themselves against industry best practices across all areas of dry bulk ship management, to understand where they are in the operational excellence journey. The results of the self-assessment can be used to monitor success and develop improvement plans. It can also be shared with stakeholders to demonstrate commitment to safe ship management.
S4S: How can the new DryBMS platform assist dry bulk operators? Additionally, how does the platform ensure both data confidentiality and transparency?
I.J.Mc.: DryBMS is a quality standard for dry bulk vessels. It’s a self-assessment tool that helps ship managers evaluate their performance to move the industry beyond compliance. The standard has four levels of expectations: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Excellence. Each level reflects a company’s management system compliance and sophistication. Confidentiality is ensured via strict access and electronic data security controls. However, transparency is supported through auditable logs of every transaction and activity. Subscriber data can only be shared by the subscriber.
S4S: In what ways do you believe DryBMS will contribute to improving safety, risk management, and sustainability within the dry bulk shipping sector?
I.J.Mc.: The DryBMS is designed to be widely accepted throughout the industry and is expected to provide significant benefits to all stakeholders. By adopting the standard, ship managers can demonstrate their commitment to safety and sustainability and can set themselves apart from their competitors. While the DryBMS is voluntary, it is highly recommended that ship managers conduct a thorough review of their operations to ensure that they comply with the standard. The review process involves a detailed assessment of the vessel’s safety, environmental impact, and operational efficiency. By conducting this review, ship managers can identify areas for improvement and take steps to enhance their operations. Ultimately, the DryBMS represents a major step forward for the dry bulk marine sector. By adopting this standard, the industry can work together to create a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable future for all.
S4S: How does DryBMS align with and support broader industry goals, such as environmental sustainability, health, safety, and pollution prevention?
I.J.Mc.: The maritime industry has a long history of introducing voluntary frameworks that eventually become norms. The DryBMS Framework is a recent example of such a framework. It is an advanced model that surpasses past “best practices” in the dry bulk sector in terms of technological sophistication and systems. The Framework is designed to eliminate ambiguities and theoretical evidence by focusing on well-documented and proven procedures that can be monitored down to the smallest detail. Using DryBMS each subscriber can look at their business through their own Environmental, Social and Governance lens. Asking, am I acting responsibly in looking after the environment? How do I treat my employees and what do I contribute to the communities that I operate in?
S4S: In your view, is the maritime industry effectively measuring its safety performance? What specific recommendations do you have for the dry bulk sector to enhance its safety records?
I.J.Mc.: There are many different measures of safety performance in the maritime industry. The important need is to act upon the data. With the DryBMS shipping companies have the opportunity to evaluate if their processes are good for the environment, efficient, they are embracing the use of digital technologies and data, to better understand the business and areas for improvement. We recommend adopting meticulous safety metrics, investing in advanced monitoring technologies, and cultivating a culture of continuous safety training based on the knowledge obtained from rigorous standardised self-assessment.
S4S: How do you envision DryBMS contributing to the long-term goal of making dry bulk shipping stronger, safer, and more sustainable?
I.J.Mc.: The DBCE team knows that this standard can be widely adopted, as we have seen considerable success elsewhere. Groups such as the OCIMF have delivered the Tanker Management and Self-Assessment (TMSA) program, which has ensured fundamental cultural change in safety management. Our vision is DryBMS will follow a similar trajectory and lift the safety standard of dry bulk shipping markedly.
S4S: What is your wish list for operators and all stakeholders involved in the implementation of DryBMS to achieve excellence?
I.J.Mc.: Our wish list includes a commitment to training, proactive engagement with the platform, continuous feedback for improvements, and a unified focus on safety and sustainability
S4S: Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives you would like to share with industry stakeholders?
I.J.Mc.: Using the DryBMS is voluntary, those who take part are pioneering a new safety standard. To verify self-assessments recorded in the DryBMS platform the DBCE is developing a standardised self-assessment audit verification process where Subscriber Document of Compliance (DoC) holders can have their self-assessments verified by DBCE accredited auditors. This voluntary process will provide assurance to the management of DoC Subscribers and at the DoC Subscribers discretion, to their industry customers, that their self-assessments have been independently verified. DBCE will maintain a pool of DBCE accredited auditors and a corresponding programme of accreditation to ensure consistency in verification audits. A Verification Audit Question Set will provide a pro-forma for the consistent conduct of DryBMS Verification Audits. We are looking forward to announcing the latest developments in this Verification Audit System in December 2024.
S4S: What is your key message to industry stakeholders regarding the importance and adoption of DryBMS?
I.J.Mc.: Dry BMS is crucial for ensuring safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility across the sector. By adhering to these standards, we can enhance operational excellence, reduce potential risk and build a more sustainable future for the dry bulk industry.
The views presented are only those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.