Notice to: Shipowners, Operators, Officers, Flag State Inspectors and Recognised Organisations.
Download Bulletin
a) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended (SOLAS).
b) ISM Code, International Safety Management Code, as amended.
c) Form 34 – International Safety Management (ISM) Code Declaration.
d) IMO Circular MSC-MEPC.7/Circ.6 Guidance on the qualifications, training, and experience necessary for undertaking the role of the Designated Person under the provisions of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code.
e) IMO Circular MSC-MEPC.7/Circ.8 Revised guidelines for the operational implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Companies.
f) Bulletin 008 – Permits Exemptions and Equivalences Rev.2.0.
g) Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006.
h) The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).
i) IMO Resolution A.1188(33) 2023 Guidelines on the implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Administrations.
j) IACS PR 9 Procedural Requirements for ISM Code Certification.
k) IMO Circular MSC-FAL.1/Circ.3 Guidelines on Maritime Cyber Risk Management.
2. Purpose
a) This Bulletin provides information on the application of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code to Barbadian vessels.
3. Application
3.1 The ISM Code, under the provisions of Chapter IX of SOLAS, is mandatory for the following vessels engaged in international voyages:
.1 Passenger ships including Passenger Yachts, and passenger high-speed craft, regardless of tonnage;
.2 Oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers, cargo high-speed craft, special purpose ships, commercial yachts of 500 gross tonnage and upwards; and
.3 Other cargo ships, Self-propelled Mobile Offshore Units (MOUs) and Dynamically Positioned (DP) vessels of 500 gross tonnage and upwards.
3.2 A Floating Production Storage and Operations Unit (FPSO), Floating Storage and Offloading Unit (FSO), Floating Production Unit (FPU), Floating Storage Unit (FSU), Mobile Offshore Storage Unit (MOSU), Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs), and similar units are exempt from ISM Code compliance:
.1 if the propulsion system is removed or disabled; or
.2 if the propulsion system functions, the unit is on a fixed station for an extended period and the propulsion equipment will only be used in an emergency or to reposition or
.3 service the unit under a “single voyage exemption” with no cargo on board.
4. Definitions
4.1 Company is the owner of the vessel or any other organisation or person such as the manager, or the bareboat charterer who has assumed the responsibility for the operation of the vessel from the Shipowner and who, on assuming such responsibility, has agreed in writing to take over all the duties and responsibilities imposed by the ISM Code.
4.2 Designated Person or Designated Person Ashore (DPA) is the person ashore appointed by the Company under its Safety Management System, having direct access to the highest level of management with whom direct communications may be had at any time. The responsibility and authority of the DPA must include but is not limited to, monitoring the safety, security, and pollution prevention aspects of each vessel’s operation under the Company’s control and ensuring that adequate resources and shore-based support are provided. See IMO Circular MSC-MEPC.7/Circ.6 for the qualifications, training and experience necessary for undertaking the DPA role.
4.3 Safety Management System (SMS) is a structured and documented system enabling Company personnel to effectively implement the Company safety and environmental protection policy.
5. Communication to the BMSR (ISM Code Sec. 3)
5.1 When the Company, as defined in Sec. 4.2, is other than the Owner, at registration the Owner shall notify the BMSR of the appointment of the Company and DPA by sending Form 34 by email to registry@barbadosmaritime.com. Thereafter, Form 34 is to be issued anytime a new Company is appointed.
5.2 For changes of the DPA the notification can be made simply by email to registry@barbadosmaritime.com.
5.3 Owners of vessels to which the ISM Code applies shall still appoint a shore-based point of contact for the BMSR using the same procedures outlined in Sec. 5.1 above.
6. Development of plans for shipboard operations (ISM Code Sec. 3)
6.1 Companies shall establish safety objectives and accordingly develop, implement and maintain an SMS which includes functional requirements as listed in section 1.4 of the ISM Code and in accordance with MSC-MEPC.7/Circ.8.
6.2 The Company should establish procedures, plans and instructions, including checklists as appropriate, for key shipboard operations concerning the safety of the personnel, vessel and protection of the environment. The various tasks should be defined and assigned to qualified personnel.
6.3 Companies shall ensure full implementation and compliance as part of their SMS where MLC and STCW requirements overlap with those of the ISM Code. These provisions include medical certification, training, qualifications, BMSR endorsements, hours of work and rest, manning levels and medical care on board and ashore.
6.4 The SMS shall define and document the Master’s responsibility with regard to reviewing the SMS and reporting its deficiencies to the shore based management and include a statement that its contents do not remove the Master’s authority and responsibility to take such steps and issue any orders, whether or not they are in accordance with the contents of the documentation, which the Master considers to be necessary for the preservation of life; the safety and security of the vessel, crew and cargo, and the protection of the marine environment.
6.5 The SMS shall ensure implementation of the measures of the Ship Security Plan (SSP), the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans (SOPEPs) and Marine Pollution Emergency Plans (SMPEPs) and address Cyber risks in compliance with MSC-FAL.1/Circ.3. The SMS might also include the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).
6.6 The SMS shall include systematic maintenance plans to ensure that items and systems are covered by class and statutory surveys and to ensure that the vessel’s condition is always satisfactorily maintained and procedures to inform the BMSR at Ops@barbadosmaritime.com with immediate effect in case of any defect found on board for the request of appropriate permission as per Bulletin 008.
6.7 The Company SMS shall include a means for documenting corrective actions taken to rectify deficiencies and nonconformities identified during internal audits, external audits, surveys and PSC and flag State inspections. Notification given to the designated RO on the corrective actions taken and measures to prevent their recurrence must also be documented.
6.8 The SMS shall contain procedures to ensure that non-conformities, observations and hazardous occurrences are reported to the responsible person of the management. The Company should have a system in place for recording, investigating, evaluating, reviewing and analysing such reports, and to take action as appropriate.
7. Internal Audit
7.1 As per Sec. 12 of the ISM Code, the Company shall carry out internal safety audits on board and ashore at intervals not exceeding twelve (12) months to verify whether safety and pollution-prevention activities comply with the SMS.
7.2 The internal audits are in addition to external audits carried out by the Recognised Organisation issuing the DOC and SMC.
7.3 In exceptional circumstances, this interval may be exceeded by not more than three (3) months. Request for extension shall be submitted to the BMSR at Ops@barbadosmaritime.com as per Bulletin 008.
8. Certification and verification
8.1 All Barbadian vessels shall be operated by a Company which has been issued with a Document of Compliance (DOC) on behalf of Barbados and which shall not exceed five (5) years. A copy of the DOC shall be placed on board of each Barbadian vessel managed by the Company.
8.2 The DOC shall be issued by a Barbadian Recognised Organisation (RO) only to Companies that manage or have already expressed interest in registering and managing a vessel, hence in possession of the BMSR “Statement to intent to register” letter.
8.3 All Barbadian vessels shall be issued with a Safety Management Certificate (SMC) by an RO and such SMC shall not exceed five (5) years.
8.4 DOC and SMC are to be issued by a Barbadian RO in compliance with Res. A.1188(33) and IACS PR 9, and the certification process normally involves the following steps: interim verification; initial verification; annual (DOC) or intermediate verification (SMC); renewal verification; and additional verification.
8.5 An Interim DOC is issued for a period not exceeding 12 months and when:
.1 The Company is newly established; or
.2 New ship types are to be added to an existing DOC.
8.6 An Interim SMC is issued for a period not exceeding 6 months and when:
.1 It is a new vessel on delivery;
.2 A Company takes on responsibility for the operation of a vessel which is new to the Company; or
.3 When a vessel changes flag.
8.7 The BMSR, in special cases, might extend the validity of an Interim SMC only for a further period which shall not exceed 6 months from the date of expiry.
8.8 Renewal verification audits must be performed before the validity of the DOC and the SMC expires. They may be carried out within three months before the expiry date of the DOC or the SMC.
8.9 If a vessel at the time when an SMC expires is not in a port in which it is to be verified, the BMSR may extend the period of validity of the SMC, but this extension should be granted only for the purpose of allowing the vessel to complete its voyage to the port in which it is to be verified, and then only in cases where it appears proper and reasonable to do so.
8.10 No SMC should be extended for a period of longer than three (3) months, and the vessel to which an extension is granted should not, on its arrival in the port in which it is to be verified, be entitled by virtue of such extension to leave that port without having a new SMC. When the renewal verification is completed, the new SMC shall be valid to a date not exceeding five (5) years from the expiry date of the existing SMC before the extension was granted.
8.11 Request for extension of the SMC shall be submitted to the BMSR at Ops@barbadosmaritime.com as per Bulletin 008.
9. Flagging in with BMSR
9.1 The scope and type of audit for change of flag shall be done on site/on board as per Annex 5 of IACS PR 9 for a Company and those as per Annex 5 of IACS PR 9 for a vessel.
9.2 When due the location of the vessel the audit cannot be carried out on board the RO shall contact the BMSR for permission to carry the audit in remote, where such request shall be submitted to the BMSR at Ops@barbadosmaritime.com as per Bulletin 008.
9.3 When a Company is to be issued with a Barbadian DOC, at the change of flag, the RO shall carry out an additional audit on site, to verify the availability of BMSR instructions and their incorporation into the SMS. The Barbadian DOC shall have the same expiry date as the DOC issued on behalf of the other flag State(s).
9.4 When the Company audit cannot be carried out on site for any unforeseen reasons RO shall contact the BMSR for permission to carry the audit in remote, where such request shall be submitted to the BMSR at Ops@barbadosmaritime.com as per Bulletin 008.
9.5 When a vessel is to be issued with a Barbadian SMC, at the change of flag, the RO shall carry out an Interim audit on board as required by Sec. 14.4 of the ISM Code and issue an interim SMC. The BMSR, in special cases, might allow Interim audit to be carried out remotely.
Revision History:
Revision No
|
Description Of Revision
|
1.0
|
First issue. Supersedes Bulletin 340: Cyber Security Rev.1.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|