Tag: safety management systems

Master is the key person to ensure the effective implementation of the ISM Code on board and thus, as a top priority, he needs to be familiar with company’s SMS. In particular, clause 5 of the ISM Code defines Master’s requirements and expectations; as such, among its main duties, Master is assigned with the obligation to review and verify the Safety Management System of the Company (as per ISM Code Clause 5, para. 5.1.5).

In 2006, the RoRo ‘Cougar Ace’ was involved in an incident that caused its entire cargo of almost 5,000 brand new cars to be scrapped. The incident highlighted issues related to the assignment of duties in a ship’s SMS, within the context of ballast water exchange operations.

Following release of its Domestic Vessel Annual Report, the US Coast Guard now issued its annual PSC report for 2018, informing of a slight increase in the number of detentions, with a detention rate of 1.16%, compared to last year's 0.99%.

In its monthly safety scenario for May, the Swedish Club described a case of a serious injury during a man overboard drill, which left a crew member disabled for life. The Monthly Safety Scenario seeks to assist operators to comply with international safety regulations.

The purpose of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code is to provide an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention. The ISM Code in its mandatory form was adopted in 1993 by resolution A.741(18) and entered into force on 1 July 1998. 

Martin Øhre, Maritime Trainee at Skuld Club, touches upon the matter of enclosed space entry. Mr. Øhre notes that failure to comply with company procedures regarding entry into enclosed spaces can be fatal, while hazards such as oxygen depletion or carbon monoxide exposure are among the most common causes.

CHIRP published its Maritime Feedback 54, which is its first bulletin of 2019. The bulletin includes reports on lifting operations, proactive port authority, AIS and ECDIS offsets, heat and fatigue, and safety briefings. Regarding lifting operations a report describes an operation in which several areas presented a high potential for an accident to occur.

ATSB published its final report into the cargo ship 'Madang Coast' impacting a wharf at the Port of Townsville. The risk management processes were not sufficiently mature nor resilient enough to identify and mitigate risks in pilotage services. The incident has led to the updating and full implementation of a safety management system, in order to better identify risks and how to mitigate them.

The Government of Luxembourg's AET issued a report on the fatal occupational accident on the chemical oil tanker Nabucco on 26 June 2017. The Chief Officer was working alone on the platform of the accommodation ladder, when he fell between the vessel and the quay into the water.

Transport Malta's MSIU issued an investigation report into the grounding of the Togo-registered oil tanker 'Hephaestus' in February 2018, after being exposed at anchor for several days in deteriorating weather conditions. The report highlighted lack of visible leadership and commitment towards safety from the company.