US oceanographic research vessels and the International Safety Management Code (ISM)

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted the International Safety Management (ISM) Code with the objectives to ensure safety at sea, prevent human injury and loss of life, and avoid damage to the environment and property. The ISM Code establishes an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention. It requires that vessel operators develop, implement, and maintain a formal Safety Management System. Compliance became mandatory in 1998 for both domestic and foreign commercial vessels over 500 gross tons operating in U.S. waters. Other sectors of the marine industry (not subject to the ISM Code) have established similar standards to maintain equivalent levels of safety. The Research Vessel Operator Committee (RVOC) has historically led the way in safety management for research vessels with the development and implementation of the original Research Vessel Safety Standards (RVSS), the RVOC Safety Training Manual and Safety Video, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Vessel Inspection Program. This paper outlines ISM requirements and how they relate to the United States oceanographic research vessel fleet. The goal is to define a path for research vessels to become ISM compliant using the RVSS as a stepping stone for the development of a Research Vessel Safety Management System and maintain their safety management leadership position in marine industry into the next millennium. The authors are inspectors for the NSF Research Vessel Inspection Program. They are certified AWO auditors and have inspected over 40 vessels during the last two years including research vessels, tugboats, barges, oil tankers, container ships and military vessels. Their company, JMS Naval Architects and Salvage Engineers, is currently becoming ISO 9002 certified and they are well versed in quality and safety management plans and programs.