Ism Code News

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.

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…

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.

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…

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…

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…

The widescale impact of COVID-19 had not hit when DNV GL Maritime Advisory (DNV GL) was contracted to conduct a cyber security assessment and penetration test for an offshore asset. Before long, however, travel had become a risk, and the parties were forced to evaluate alternative means of performing the related surveys, which resulted in the completion of DNV GL’s first remote cyber security test.Cyber security assessments and penetration testing involve the examination of an asset’s systems to find weaknesses in the network’s perimeter.

Jennifer A. Carpenter serves as President & CEO of The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, towboat and barge industry. Carpenter joined AWO in August 1990 and became President & CEO in January 2020. Before assuming her current position, she worked her way up the hawsepipe from Government Affairs Assistant to Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, holding a series of progressively responsible positions including Manager-Regulatory Issues…

Houston-based Excelerate Energy’s unit, Excelerate Technical Management (ETM) has been authorized to operate as ship manager for its parent company’s entire fleet of floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs).The Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Government of Belgium have awarded Interim Documents of Compliance (DoC) under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code to ETM.The Interim DoC is the result of an audit of ETM’s safety management system, confirming compliance with ISM standards which ensure the safe operation of its crew and vessels.“Excelerate has achieved a company milestone with the successful launch of our ship management services. The Compliance certification is tangible evidence of the forward-thinking, dedicated effort of our team.

With the announcements that New York Waterway, a ferry operator running 32 boats around New York and New Jersey waters, had been largely shut down by the U.S. Coast Guard just prior to Thanksgiving, 2019, the reactions ranged from surprise to outright shock. There was also a great deal of grumbling, as commuters, the major customer group, endured delays on New York Waterway’s extensive network across the Hudson River, bringing New Jersey commuters into New York’s business districts.So, what happened?

Japanese shipping company NYK has signed  a long-term industrial research and development project agreement with Tromsø-based Dualog which aims to result in a cutting-edge Cyberrisk Management System for vessels.The project announced today at the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo will receive two years of funding from the Norwegian government fund Innovation Norway.The agreement will see the development of digitized products and services across a test-bed of 50 vessels with a view to eventually being rolled out across NYKs self-operated fleet of 250 ships.The accord follows hot on the heels of a strategic partnership both companies signed in the summer of 2017…

Make a Profit with a Safety Management System (SMS).Organizations in the maritime industry act no differently than any other successful global business unit. Major decisions are made with a certain underlying commitment – a commitment to customers, stakeholders and employees. That commitment can be oversimplified by stating the obvious, to generate revenue, but more specifically generate profits. Without profits, the company will not only fail to thrive, but will fail to survive.

GTMaritime has seen exceptional growth in the use of its secure, maritime optimized email software and other cyber-security solutions as vessel owners and operators step up a gear to harden onboard networks and protect their ships from digital threats. Many have been spurred into action by IMO’s decision to bring cyber-security under the remit of the ISM code from 2021.Some 5,677 vessels are now employing solutions from GTMaritime’s portfolio – an increase of more than one-third over the past year.

Classification society ClassNK has released its annual report on Port State Control. The report aims to assist ship operators and management companies in maintaining compliant operations by providing information about ships detained by PSC as well as deficiencies that were found on board from many port states in 2018.In line with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, PSC inspections ensure that vessels departing the port meet international standards and have proved to be highly effective in eliminating substandard ships that are in operation.