UK issues revised Instructions for the guidance of surveyors on the ISM Code

UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency has issued Instructions for the guidance of surveyors on the International management code for the safe operation of ships and for Pollution prevention (The ISM code).

This statutory guidance (MSIS 2/Rev 04/23) has been issued on April 27th, 2023.

These Instructions to Surveyors have been produced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT), for the guidance of surveyors auditing safety management systems both at sea and ashore.

Additionally, they provide guidance for those concerned with the procedures adopted by the MCA for carrying out audits for verification of compliance with the International Safety Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (ISM Code).

Audits are carried out to verify compliance with the ISM Code in accordance with
the ‘‘Guidelines on Implementation of the ISM Code by Administrations’’, IMO Resolution A.1022(26).

In addition, the International Chamber of Shipping, in association with the International Shipping Federation, has produced ‘‘Guidelines on the Application of the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code’’ and IACS has produced PR 09 on “Procedural requirements for ISM Code certification”.

It is recommended that surveyors become familiar with these publications as they establish underlying principles for verifying that a shipping Company’s SMS complies with the ISM Code.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

RELEVANT DOCUMENTS:

Instructions for the guidance of surveyors on the International management code for the safe operation of ships and for Pollution prevention (The ISM code)