ICS/ISF Secretary General, Tony Mason, explained that on July 1, the latest amendments to the ISM Code will enter into force.
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Shipping Federation (ISF) have launched a new edition of the widely used Guidelines on the Application of the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code with additional guidance on risk management, safety culture and environmental management.
ICS/ISF Secretary General, Tony Mason, explained that on July 1, the latest amendments to the ISM Code will enter into force.
Anticipating these changes, and in order to take account of other experience gained since the ISM Code first become mandatory, ICS and ISF have published a new edition of their definitive guidelines.
The first edition of the ICS/ISF Guidelines was published in 1993 and proved an invaluable tool for the majority of the worlds shipping companies as they prepared for the introduction of the then radical new regime.
As well as continuing to provide a standard resource for those who need to be familiar with ISM, the revised guidelines take full account of the latest guidance to administrations and companies that has subsequently been developed by IMO.
In particular, additional guidance has been included on the maintenance of Safety Management Systems, which are at the heart of the ISM Codes objectives, and on the role of the designated person ashore who provides the key link between the ship and shore based management.
A new analysis is included of why accidents happen, and expanded advice is provided on risk management and on the operation of a safety culture, in order that companies can fulfil the spirit, as well as the letter, of the ISM Codes requirements.
It is important to remember that the full title of the ISM Code is the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention said Mr. Mason.
While safety of life at sea must always be the first priority, the important role of the SMS in preventing marine pollution must not be overlooked. Our new edition therefore places additional emphasis on environmental management.
The guidelines also consider the potential for linkage between ISM systems and the need to reduce fuel consumption, using Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plans that have been adopted by IMO, on a voluntary basis, in order to reduce CO2 emissions.
Mr. Mason added that the essential purpose of the ISM Code is to instill a commitment to continuous improvement and the eradication of behavioral complacency. (EHL)
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