Ism Code News

The IMO is taking action to ensure that ships worldwide are safely managed and operated, with a renewed focus on seafarer issues such as work and rest hours, fatigue and violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault.Meeting in London for its 110th session (18 - 27 June), the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee focused on improving implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. The Code sets the global standard for safe management…

The Paris MoU has published its 2024 Annual Report, including performance lists, with France toping the white list, up from position 11 last year. Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Singapore remain in the top five.The White, Grey and Black List is based on the total number of inspections and detentions during a three-year rolling period for flags with at least 30 inspections in that period.Overall, there are no major shifts compared to the previous year.The detention rate for 2024 has seen an increase, reaching 4.03% compared to 3.81% in 2023.

ClassNK has released "Prime Shipmanagement Guidelines," which aim to achieve sustainable ship management with safety as the highest priority. With an evolving environment surrounding ship management, including fuel transition, stricter regulations, and crew shortage, ClassNK aims to enable flexible responses to unexpected situations by drawing on lessons learned from successful case studies that had not received much attention before.At sea, where unpredictable conditions are common, case-by-case judgment is essential to ensure safe navigation.

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) released a report today providing recommendations on how to develop and implement a Safety Management System (SMS) for ammonia-fueled ships.Recognizing the industry's forecasts on the uptake of future fuels with low to zero carbon emissions, ammonia has emerged as a frontrunner. However, it presents new risks such as toxicity and corrosiveness.

Irony: (noun) a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result. But this is anything but funny.It has been a busy news month for the nation’s fifth uniformed service; the United States Coast Guard. Of note, changes to the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) regulations for U.S.-flagged commercial vessels entered into force on December 23, 2024. Separately, and from inside the Beltway…

The Paris MoU has raised concerns about fire safety, specifically fire doors, after the results of two previous concentrated inspection campaigns found a high level of non-compliance.The results of a concentrated inspection campaign on Fire Safety held from September 1 to November 30, 2023 were shared with the industry. Overall, compliance appeared to be satisfactory, however the result was less favorable on two specific topics; good working condition of fire doors (9.3% non-compliance) and fire drills (9.2% non-compliance).In the press release issued at the time…

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has released the Sixth Edition of Guidelines on the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code.Print and ebook copies of the Guidelines are now available to buy.The sixth edition replaces the Guidelines on the Application of the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code, Fifth Edition, which has now been withdrawn from sale.The new edition includes new content:• New chapter on internal audits to help companies improve the SMS on an ongoing basis• Example annual program of drills and exercises• Updated publications list…

Implementation of the FuelEU Maritime regulation from 2025 presents an accountability dilemma for shipping as it is currently the Document of Compliance (DoC) holder that will be held responsible for fuel selection and could therefore face penalties - contrary to the ‘polluter pays’ principle, according to OceanScore.Shipping companies must start preparing now for the regulation as they face an August 31 deadline to submit a monitoring plan to track the fuel type and consumption for each EU voyage for each vessel as required by FuelEU…

In the maritime industry, seafarer safety and professionalism are critical to ensuring smooth operations and minimizing risks. As technical advancements continue to reshape every industry including ours, large language models like ChatGPT and Bard have the potential to directly assist seafarers in performing their duties more safely and professionally. So, how can a seafarer leverage these tools to enhance their onboard performance? Let’s look at some examples.One example is in providing instant, human-readable access to regulations and guidelines.

Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Line has concluded a time charter contract with Shimizu Corporation for two crew transfer vessels (CTV) for an offshore wind farm at Ishikari Bay New Port. "This marks the MOL Group’s first entry into the CTV business. In addition, one of the CTVs, The KAZEHAYA, owned by MOL, is the first CTV in Japan managed and operated under International Safety Management (ISM) Code, which is the international standard of ship safety management system, certified by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK )," MOL said.MOL Group company MOL Coastal Shipping, Ltd.

Ship management association InterManager is urging the European Commission to follow the polluter pays approach when finalising legislation intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping in European waters.Shipowners are concerned that proposed EU-ETS legislation could miss its mark if it holds ship management firms accountable for emissions reductions rather than target the parties who control key pollution-related aspects of ship operation such as fuel, machinery and vessel speed.In a submission to the Commission…

In no uncertain terms, the goal of “future capable” ship’s propulsion is confusing. We have been pressed into a regulatory environment that asks us to reduce emissions, and in the same breath deliver power sufficient to meet commercial schedules and allow the vessel to weather a storm and be safe at sea. To reach that end, owners are presented with a basket of new alternative fuels to achieve the latest January 1, 2023 Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulations. Add that most operators have no previous historical experience or data with these alternative fuels…

International Maritime Organization's Secretary-General, Kitack Lim, used the annual IMO Awards ceremony as an opportunity to pay special tribute to the late William A. O'Neil, IMO Secretary-General Emeritus, who died in the United Kingdom on 29 October 2020, aged 93. O'Neil was Secretary-General of IMO from 1990 to 2003.Lim welcomed those attending the 2022 IMO Awards Ceremony, the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic that the Awards have been held in-person. Addressing the audience…

DNV will acquire industrial cyber security specialist Applied Risk, aiming to build the world’s largest industrial cyber security practice.Cyber threats to the maritime community is a large and growing problem, with the maritime industry experiencing a 400% increase in attempted attacks between February and June 2020, according to Naval Dome. As proven by well-publicized examples in recent years, recovery can cost hundreds of millions of dollars and can effectively shutter global operations for extended periods.In January 2021…

At a time when the world has become more aware than ever before about the vital importance of the world’s ocean shipping fleet, which carried supplies, merchandise and much needed personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, an increased risk from a different threat, cyberattacks, presents a set of new challenges. According to Israeli cybersecurity specialist Naval Dome, since February 2020, there has been a 400% increase in attempted hacks on the maritime realm…

Mercy Ships is known globally for its charitable work performing medical procedures in developing countries. For the first time, the organization has a new ship, Global Mercy, recently delivered from a shipyard in China. Jim Paterson, Marine Executive Consultant, Mercy Ships takes Maritime Reporter & Engineering News inside the construction of the world’s largest civilian hospital ship.Jim Paterson already had a career and Chief Engineer’s Certificate when he joined Mercy Ships nearly 34 years ago, in search of a life change to make a difference.

Marlink said it has expanded its ITLink portfolio with the addition of two new service options to simplify remote IT management and support cyber compliance.The company has rebranded its remote IT solution KeepUp@Sea to ITLink and further enhanced the suite of solutions with both entry-level and advanced IT solutions.ITLink, which has already been installed on more than 1,000 vessels, allows ship operators on shore to centrally manage and update their entire fleets of thousands of PCs in one-go…

ClassNK Consulting Service Co., Ltd. (NKCS) added a new course named "Maritime Cyber Security Technical Course (Attack Method) for Responsible Officers in Land" for its e-learning cybersecurity training service.The service has been adopted by a number of ship management companies and manning companies. It has been well received because it is easy to learn anywhere with an online environment, and it covers the requirements for proficiency training in the ISM Code Chapter 6. The new course describes the actual incidents occurred in the maritime industry, attack methods, and countermeasures.

Seafarers are left unprotected by systemic failures in the implementation of the regulatory regime for work and rest hours at sea, a newly published report finds.The World Maritime University's (WMU) new report,  "A Culture of Adjustment", by Dr. Raphael Baumler, Yvette deKlerk, Dr. Michael Ekow Manuel and Dr. Laura Carballo Piñeiro confirms previous research that suggested recording malpractices are widespread, which seriously questions the capacity of the current regulatory…

On January 15, 2021, the U.S. Coast Guard issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for Safety Management System (SMS) requirements in the domestic passenger vessel industry (Docket No. USCG-2020-0123). This requirement will have the largest implications on the domestic passenger vessel industry since the revisions of 46 CFR Subchapter T & K in the mid-90s. However, the question remains, is it necessary?Over the last three decades, the effectiveness and need for…

Entry-level version of ITLINK management and monitoring software suite simplifies regulatory compliance for vessel and shore teamsMarlink has announced the release of a new stand-alone entry version of its ITLINK software, designed to improve transparency in monitoring and reporting of the status of IT networks onboard ships. The new monitoring tool enables shoreside teams or administrators to view the IT system status and availability, providing visibility on compliance with regulatory and charterer requirements.Starting in 2021…

Nicholas Georgiou has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer of ship owning and management business Lomar, its parent company the Libra Group announced. Georgiou has been Lomar’s Chief Operating Officer since 2010 and succeeds Achim Boehme, who passed away from cancer in July.George Logothetis, Chairman and CEO of the Libra Group, says, “This announcement has long been in our succession planning, with Achim due to have become Chairman of Lomar. Achim’s tragic passing left us with a huge void but also a tremendous legacy…

Recent cyber attacks to the US Government, the IMO, Maersk, amongst others has caused the world to pay attention to criminal cyber activities by foreign states, terrorists, and criminals. The cyber attack against CMA CGM shut down services for close on two weeks. Two days later, on October 30th the IMO was held hostage by a cyber attack. These attacks follow attacks earlier this year against MSC and COSCO.As of January 1, 2021 all vessels that have a safety management system must address cyber security in order to maintain ISM certification.