ECDIS and ISM Code Procedures; Best Practices

Athanasios Theodorou, Marine Management Systems Senior Specialist, Hellenic Lloyds analyzed”ECDIS and ISM Code Procedures; Best Practices” at the 2015 SAFETY4SEA Athens Forum. He highlighted that ECDIS is not just another piece of equipment that has to be installed on board ships . With the regulation since 2012, owners , managers urgently need to assess the implications for their fleet and to amend their procedures according to ISM code and industry requirements. Company’s procedures should be tailored to meet the company’s and ship needs. These can take the form of checklist (s), flow chart(s), or even more detailed written ECDIS procedures and documentation. He explained that they should be incorporated into the SMS and bridge procedures and their implementation should be verified through internal audits and navigational audits. He also said that third party audits and inspections will also assist in identification of any areas for improvement, including training.

The subject of my presentation refers to the new requirements for the ECDIS implementation and the connection between ISM and companys management procedures. The time frame as you know started from the 1^st July 2012 and normally has to be completed until July 2018. So, more or less we have reached almost in the middle and a lot of companies have already complied with the requirements. Requirement says that vessels have to be provided with ECDIS according to specific requirement and regulations for the installations and also some other statutory requirements. But actually are we ready to comply or how effectively we are complying so far for the vessels that already implement ECDIS onboard their vessels?

ECDIS, actually is a navigation information system which with adequate backup arrangements can be accepted as comply with SOLAS requirements, has specific electronic navigation charts, with positional navigation sensors, to assist the mariner in route planning, route monitoring and if required display additional navigation related information. So actually is a navigation information system that is connected with several sensors. In simple words is a computer.

In summary, the statutory compliance that we have is:

• SOLAS (Ch. V, Reg.19) the same exactly as it was with the paper charts but now we have also the requirements for electronical display, the ECDIS
• IMO Resolution (A.817 (19)), according to all the approval requirements that this system has and installation
• STCW requirements and
• ISM Code, and several clauses, as clause 6

But is it actually only an equipment installation as all the other equipment that we have within vessels? Or is it new equipment that we have only to fit onboard our ships? Actually not, because the ECDIS is a complex safety relevant software base system with multi option display. The ongoing safe and effective use of ECDIS involves many stakeholders including seafarers, equipment manufacturers, chart producers, hardware and software, maintenance providers, ship-owners and operators and training providers.

Actually, it is a risk assessment exercise. It is a big management of change. We have to identify the possible hazards, how we are going to mitigate the risk and how will amend our safety management procedures.

Is the risk clearly defined? Risk in relation to ECDIS operation can be considered as a hazard or source of navigational errors, with the potential to cause loss or harm to personnel, the environment or the ship itself. Example of hazards:

• The equipment itself (e.g. said failure of hardware and software)
• The Charts (not updated, not corrected)
• The operation of ECDIS (e.g. poor training crew, following poor navigational practices and procedures
• The transition from analog tools to electronic tools
• Connection with other bridge equipment.

Finally, following risk assessment, risk exercise, the management of change as the oil major will like to know and to verify, we are coming back to the requirement of the ISM Code Am. 2010 saying that we have to build up and prepare our safety management procedures according to a risk-based approach. Related clauses are:

• 1.2.2 regarding risk assessment
• 1.2.3 about compliance with mandatory rules and regulations
• 1.4 fundamental requirements of the Code
• 6.3 the crew assigned to new positions to be familiar with the equipment they are going to work with
• 6.5 identification of training needs
• 7 about seaboard operation
• 8 emergency preparedness (remind you that if we have two ECDIS installed with backup arrangement or one what we have to do in case of failure)
• 10 maintenance of software hardware for example or if the company through the risk assessment will identify that the equipment is critical equipment and
• 12 (two clauses) that is about evaluation of related parties with ISM related tasks and also about internal auditing.

Based on the result of the initial risk assessment and training procedures to operate the ECDIS safely and effectively should be identified. And this is something very important to consider with. Based on the results the procedures have to be tailor-made to companys needs and expectations. Procedures can take the form of a checklist or checklists, more detailed written ECDIS procedures or even a flowchart. Example of areas to cover:

• Master standing orders
• Chart room management
• Arrival-departure checks
• Passage planning and watch keeping
• Watch handover
• Censor failure and black out planning
• Emergency preparedness
• Familiarization, or pre-joining familiarization
• Training and identification of training needs and
• Planned maintenance and critical equipment procedures failure.

Another task that the company has to answer and to comply with is the document control. The company has to decide what kind of records are related with this equipment, has to follow the companys procedure about the document control and all these procedures has to be updated onboard in order the crew, first of all but also the shore staff, to know and to comply with.

Above article is an edited version of Mr. Theodorou presentation during the 2015 SAFETY4SEA Forum which successfullyconcluded on Wednesday 7thof October 2015in Eugenides Foundation Athens attracting1100 delegates from 30 countries representing a total of 480 organizations.

Click here to view his presentation video