The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) published an updated edition of its Offshore Vessel Management and Self Assessment (OVMSA) programme, in a bid to align with current legislation, expectations and emerging risks.
The updated version includes expanded best practice guidelines and a streamlined self assessment procedure to encourage a more unified interpretation and implementation of the guidance by offshore vessel operators.
The programme, originally published in 2012, is widely used by companies operating offshore vessels worldwide to assess, measure, benchmark and improve their Safety Management Systems (SMS) against set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
These systems encompass all company activities, including technical, operational, personnel and Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), both onboard and ashore.
Offshore vessel operators using the OVMSA programme can make their reports available to OCIMF members and vessel charterers as proof of active SMS processes and alignment with industry best practices.
OVMSA2 sets out 13 elements of management practice that are essential for the effective management and operation of offshore vessels:
- Leadership and the Safety Management System
- Recruitment and management of shore-based personnel
- Recruitment, management and wellbeing of vessel personnel
- Vessel reliability and maintenance, including critical equipment
- Navigational safety
- Offshore operations and the management of contractors
- Management of change
- Incident reporting, investigation and analysis
- Safety management
- Environmental and energy management
- Emergency preparedness and contingency planning
- Measurement, analysis and improvement
- Maritime security
Operators can measure their management systems against the KPIs in the OVMSA, demonstrate compliance with industry standards and use the programme to identify gaps in current performance.
To reflect the many new challenges offshore vessel operators must now account for, OSMVA2 includes 85 New KPIs, and 25 KPIs have been downgraded.
In total, there are 266 KPIs in OSMVA2 for measuring management performance.
OVMSA has been updated by our expert committees and working groups to provide further clarity for users, improve consistency, make conducting self assessments easier and to promote continuous improvement in the offshore marine industry,
…Rob Drysdale, Director, OCIMF, commented.
