Introduction to the ISM Code

Ship General Safety

Ship General Safety

In this lesson, you will learn about the ISM Code and why it came into force, additionally the guidelines of this Code will be highlighted. This lesson will also take a look at the ship safety assessment and how risks are mitigated.

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Step 1 of 67 minutes read

Introduction to the ISM Code

The ISM Code was created to provide an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships, and also for pollution prevention. The following vide introduces the ISM Code and the way it is operated onboard ships.

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SOLAS Chapter IX

The International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), Chapter IX - Management for the Safe Operation of Ships was introduced in the 1994 amendments, to make mandatory the International Safety Management (ISM) Code which as previously stated was adopted in 1993 by resolution A.741(18) and made mandatory with entry into force in 1998. This code requires a Safety Management System (SMS) to be established by the shipowner or company and provided onboard the company's fleet.

Having said, that the main purpose of Chapter IX of SOLAS was to provide an international standard for the safe management of ships and pollution prevention by introducing the new safety management code (ISM Code). The new SOLAS chapter IX, applies to ships, regardless of their date of construction, as follows:

  1. Passenger ships, not later than 1 July 1998.

  2. Passenger high-speed craft, not later than 1st July 1998.

  3. Oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers, and cargo high-speed craft of 500 GT (gross tonnage) and upwards, not later than 1st July 1998.

  4. Other cargo ships and mobile offshore drilling units of 500 GT and upwards, not later than 1st July 2002.