ISM Code implementation: an investigation of safety issues in the shipping industry

Acknowledging that shipping safety continues to be a major topic of interest in the maritime community, the present study attempts to identify the critical factors of International Safety Management (ISM) Code implementation, to identify the dimensions that describe whether the ISM Code has fulfilled its intended purpose as well as to assess their interrelationships. Moreover, the present study aims to explore whether the fulfillment of the Code’s intended purpose is associated with accident reduction. Evidence was drawn from a sample of 63 masters and chief officers who have hands-on onboard experience on ISM Code implementation and data were analyzed through the use of Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), correlation analysis, and binomial logistic regression. Findings indicate that the critical factors of ISM Code implementation can be categorized in the crew-related and the company-related dimensions. Also, the fulfillment of the intended purpose of the ISM Code consists of the factors of safety management system efficiency and increased safety, which were also found to be significantly associated with the crew-related dimension of ISM Code implementation. Finally, results showed that both safety management system efficiency and increased safety increase the probability of accident reduction at the highest level.     

Maritime safety and the ISM code: a study of investigated casualties and incidents

In 1993, the International Maritime Organization adopted the International Safety Management (ISM) Code which requires all shipping companies operating certain types of vessels to establish safety management systems. Nevertheless, two decades later, maritime safety remains a concern. This article studies 94 maritime cases investigated by the Maritime Accident Investigation Branch in the UK. By providing an analysis of reported casualties and incidents, it highlights current challenges in maritime safety. For each casualty and incident, the study reviews the underlying causal factors. These causal factors are then coded according to the functional sections of the ISM Code, covering various aspects of safety management. To investigate human and organizational factors involved in the casualties and incidents, the human factor analysis and classification system (HFACS) is applied to code the same data. Finally, the relative seriousness of casualties and incidents is considered to discuss the findings from ISM Code and HFACS reviews. The study found that the main challenges pertain to the development of plans for shipboard operations, local shipboard management, and the ability of the company to verify when such practices deviate from best practices or required standards.     

对体系运行中假记录的探讨

国际安全管理规则（ISM）实施后,各航运公司相继实施了体系化管理,体系的建立与运行推动了各航运公司的各项管理工作,对保障船公司船舶安全与防污染起到了根本性的作用。然而,体系运行的有效性问题一直困扰着各家公司。本文分析了体系运行中＂假记录＂的产生原因、危害及治理方法,仅供同行参考。     

Incident reporting in Finnish shipping companies

The purpose of the International Safety Management Code (the ISM Code) is to promote safety culture in the maritime industry. Learning the lessons from incidents should help to improve safety performance since incidents and accidents can share the same root causes. The aim of this paper is to take a closer look at incident reporting in the Finnish shipping industry, to study the reasons for poor incident reporting and to suggest improvements to increase reporting. The paper consists of a literature study, which focuses on previous studies concerning incident reporting, and an interview study, which focuses on Finnish shipping companies and their personnel. The interview study confirmed that incident reporting does not function properly within the Finnish maritime industry. The maritime personnel have an occupational culture which is incompatible with the rule-based safety management approach provided by the ISM Code. The willingness to report incidents could be increased if all seafarers were involved in the reporting process and the preparation of corrective actions. In addition, the reporting procedures should be streamlined and developed to a more user-friendly direction.     

An empirical assessment of ISM Code effectiveness on performance: the role of ISO certification

ABSTRACT

Although the introduction of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code aimed at increasing the safety standards in the maritime industry, several studies conducted so far argue for its inability to successfully fulfill its goals. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the ISM Code effectiveness by drawing analogy from similar applications of ISO 9001 effectiveness in service companies. It also aims to determine its impact on firm performance and differentiate between ISO and non-ISO-certified shipping companies. Findings indicate that ISM Code effectiveness consists of two dimensions, namely continuous improvement and customer satisfaction focus, and the significance of its contribution on improving company performance is revealed, especially in the case of ISO-certified shipping companies. Moreover, the continuous improvement dimension was found to affect performance at a greater extent.     

The human talent and its role in ISM Code effectiveness and competitiveness in the shipping industry

The present study empirically evaluates the role of human talent in the effective implementation of quality management systems in the shipping industry context. Specifically, we analyze the relationships among top management commitment to quality, ISM (International Safety Management) Code effectiveness and competitiveness as well as we assess the influence of talent in these associations. We test our research hypotheses using a sample of 199 shipping companies located in Greece. The findings show that ISM Code effectiveness acts as a mediator between top management commitment and shipping company competitiveness, while the different talent philosophies were found to moderate this relationship.     

香港地区实施ISM工作现状及思考

文中介绍了香港地区实施ISM规则(国际安全管理规则)机构、立法及实施的相关情况,着重分析了《香港商船(安全)条例》涉及ISM规则的有关规定和执行,总结了香港地区航运公司管理和实施ISM规则的特点,提出了国内ISM/NSM规则的实施及相关工作的建议。     

航运公司建立和运行SMS存在问题探讨

ISM/NSM规则的强制实施,进一步规范了航运公司安全与防污染管理活动,提升了航运公司安全与防污染管理水平。文中分析了当前航运公司安全管理体系建立和运行情况及存在的问题,剖析了航运公司建立安全管理体系的一些误区,同时对航运公司安全管理体系运行及维护中常见的问题进行了阐述,并针对航运公司建立及运行安全管理体系存在的问题,对航运公司及海事主管部门提出相应的解决措施及建议。     

船舶管理公司实施ISM及NSM规则

船舶管理公司作为近几年新生的船舶安全与防污染管理的责任主体,是海事部门公司管理的重要对象,其在船舶安全与防污染管理方面的作用也越来越大。笔者通过参与船舶管理公司的体系审核,对船舶管理公司的运作情况进行了调查和分析,对船舶管理公司在实施ISM及NSM规则方面,提出了自己的观点和看法。     

再谈安全营运与安全管理

借助ISM规则全面实施的时机和港口国对到港船舶实施检查的结果,剖析ISM规则的内在本质,及其在我国航运公司的安全营运与管理中不同实施阶段的主要作用。     

ISM Code对船舶保险除外责任的影响

ISM规则的实施不仅对航运业而且对船舶保险业产生了深远的影响。文中通过总结和介绍ISM规则实施和船舶保险除外责任的变化来诠释这种影响之大,进而从法律的角度提醒广大船公司要更加有效地运行安全与防污染管理体系,避免在船舶保险中出现不应有的损失。     

非体系航运企业标准化安全制度建设的几点思考

文中针对目前我国非体系航运企业和船舶的基本状况找出了在安全生产过程中存在的主要问题，认为建立健全非体系航运企业安全制度是提高管理水平的关键，运用安全管理体系理念建设非体系航运企业是解决安全生产问题的突破点。     

“ECDIS操作”培训与发证探析

随着电子海图系统在海船上的普及,有关“ECDIS操作”培训与发证工作已经变得非常急迫。针对“ECDIS操作”培训的必要性以及国外有关的培训、发证办法进行了研讨,并就我国海事部门、船舶公司和航运培训机构如何开展该项培训与发证,提出了一些设想。     

AIS操作培训与发证探讨

国际海事组织发布了AIS船上应用导则(A.917(22)号决议案)及其培训标准,以及国际灯塔协会对VTS操作员培训标准评估指南。要求使用者必须熟悉AIS的性能和有关缺陷。鉴于此,讨论了培训和发证方法,为海事安全管理机构、船公司和海运院校提出了一些建议。     

现代航运业发展与船舶配员减少引起的安全问题分析

由于现代航运业的发展与船舶配员减少等原因，海上船舶安全出现了新的问题。文中从船员疲劳、ISM规则实施以及公司追求利益等方面进行分析，提出了相应解决上述问题的意见和建议。     

重视《NSM规则》管理船舶安全实施科学有效监管

随着《NSM规则》的全面实施,,一些游离在《NSM规则》管理之外的船舶,呈现出掉队、淘汰的趋势或成为安全管理的难点。本文结合在海事行政执法过程中的工作体会,从坚持科学发展观出发,通过对非公司化管理船舶的形成原因、发展趋势和安全现状的分析,提出实施科学有效监管的措施,以期达到推进船公司规范、健康和好中加快发展的目的。     

Causes of casualties and the regulation of occupational health and safety in the shipping industry

The aim of this paper is to investigate maritime safety from an occupational hazards perspective as opposed to a maritime casualty perspective. It is recognised that safety in shipping should encompass casualties arising from accidents occurring in the course of performing normal seafaring duties, not just those arising from technical defects or maritime disasters. The paper discusses an investigation involving a survey of 19 flag states and two detailed studies of records kept at the Hong Kong and Singapore maritime administrations. The results indicate that occupational accidents account for a significant proportion of fatalities at sea. The statistics presented specify the ship types that are most at risk, as well as the types of occupational hazards that can most frequently lead to accidents and fatalities. The results of this study indicate voids in the process of investigating fatalities that relate to occupational accidents. These results also indicate inadequate investigation of events and causes. The creation of a database of such information could potentially be used for the development of appropriate regulations that could prevent fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents through regulatory processes.     

航运安全文化建设初探

探讨了航运安全文化的起源和发展,介绍了ISM规则、STCW 95公约和PSC检查在航运安全文化建设中的里程碑作用和航运安全文化的观念碰撞,提出了航运安全文化的适用范围、航运安全文化的理念和安全共建的方案。     

国内两起干散货船自沉事故引发的思考

干散货船在水上货物运输中有着举足轻重的地位,然而在繁忙运输中与其相关的事故也频频发生,文中通过分析国内两起干散货船自沉事故背后潜藏的隐患和问题,提出强化航运企业、船舶和监管部门各方薄弱环节管理的建议和意见,以期共同为航运业发展和海上安全运输贡献力量。     

基于国际安全管理规则的安全管理观念和方法

分析ISM规则所创导的船舶安全管理观念的基本出发点和安全管理方法中的主要依据和具体方法,认为提高对ISM规则的理解和认识,可促进船舶安全和防污染工作的有效开展。