Groundings in the age of the ISM Code

 

Another disaster strikes in the maritime industry with the grounding of the MV Wakashio. The International Safety Management Code when in came into force on 01 July 1998.  The intent, to get vessels to use a process-based system approach to managing risks and improving safety. Each year large sums of money are invested in ISM training for personnel of all ranks to ensure that they are familiar with the requirements of their Safety Management System (SMS) as also able to execute their duties well.

Despite the ISM Code however, nearly each month we learn of a new vessel involved in a major incident somewhere across the globe. Has maritime safety really improved then as a result of the ISM Code, ISM training and safety management systems. While the ISM code was intended to get companies to self regulate, as with many systems, the ISM code has gotten bogged down with bureaucracy and over-documentation. Vessel personnel focus on passing audits and pleasing auditors, going to great lengths to “avoid” a non-conformity being identified.

ISM training for auditors should teach auditors to be objective and to focus on requirements. This however may not always be the case and auditors turn into ‘gurus’ on best practices that must be adopted. Soon these best practices become a part of the system and the system gets documented to the extent needed to pass the audit. Procedures becomes a paperwork drill that must be done to please the auditor not because it may result in safely operated vessel. As a result, though the paper trail shows a perfect ship this may not always be the case and often serious matters go unnoticed because they were unreported. ISM training for personnel aboard the ships must highlight the benefits of the system (SMS) and why personnel should report non-conformities.

It is said that the human element accounts for 80% of maritime accidents. Are the incident corrective actions ever looked at from the perspective of fixing the system so possible human errors are reduced or caught in time. The ISM Code is not a guarantee. It takes hard work to build effective management systems and the success of the system lies in the commitment from the top. Hence it is recommended that the top management too complete an ISM training designed to educate leadership on the role they play in the system. Further ISM training for company and vessel personnel should educate them on the need to use the system on a daily basis and to work to improve the system each time.

It will be interesting to learn the causes for the grounding of the MV Wakashio and at this time it can only be speculated. Perhaps procedures were not followed that resulted in it grounding on a reef.