Safety Management

System (SMS)
Functional
requirements
By: 2/E Erdie Taganguin
Learning Objectives

▪ Explain the purpose of the Safety Management

System as part of the Safety-management
objectives of the Company

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What Is Safety
Management System (SMS)
On Ships?
Safety Management System (SMS) On Ships

The safety management system (SMS) is

an organized system planned and implemented
by the shipping companies to ensure safety of
the ship and marine environment.

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Safety Management System (SMS) On Ships

SMS is an important aspect of the International

safety management (ISM) code and it details all the
important policies, practices, and procedures that are to
be followed in order to ensure safe functioning of ships at
the sea. All commercial vessels are required to establish
safe ship management procedures. SMS forms one of the
important parts of the ISM code.
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Safety Management System (SMS) On Ships

▪ The safety management system (SMS) therefore

ensures that each and every ship comply with the
mandatory safety rules and regulations, and follow
the codes, guidelines, and standards
recommended by the IMO, classification societies,
and concerned maritime organizations.

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Company Responsibility
and Authority
Policy
If the person who is responsible for the operation
of the Company or vessel(s) is other than the owner, the
owner will report the full name and details of such person
to the U.S. Coast Guard/other Authority. The Company
defines and documents the responsibilities, authority,
and interrelation of all personnel who manage, perform,
and verify work relating to and affecting safety and
pollution prevention.
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Policy Implementation

The SMS provides comprehensive details

of the roles played by all personnel. Job
descriptions are provided for each person
involved in the SMS. Lines of authority and
reporting are detailed in organizational charts
that are also found in this section.
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Policy Implementation

The Company provides the

designated person(s) with adequate
resources and support to perform their
duties with respect to the SMS. Company
policy is implemented through various SMS
procedures, such as monitoring of the
performance of each vessel in safety and
environmental protection matters,
provision, and availability of adequate
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spare parts.
Policy Implementation
Company review of the SMS and regular assessments of the
allocation of financial and material resources to safety and
environmental protection measures. Details of the various provisions
are contained throughout the SMS documentation.

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What is included in the
safety management
system (SMS)?
Every safety management policy should satisfy some of the basic
functional requirements to ensure safety of every ship. They are:

▪ Procedure and guidelines to act

in an emergency situation
▪ Safety and environmental
protection policy
▪ Procedure and guidelines for
reporting accidents or any other
form of non-conformities

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Every safety management policy should satisfy some of the basic
functional requirements to ensure safety of every ship. They are:

▪ Clear information on level of authority and lines of communication among

ship crew members, and between shore and shipboard personnel
▪ Procedures and guidelines to ensure safe operations of ships and protection
of marine environment in compliance with relevant international and flag
state legislations
▪ Procedures for internal audits and management reviews
▪ Vessel details

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 SMS
▪ In short, a safety management system would consists
of details as to how a vessel would operate on a day to
day basis, what are the procedures to be followed in
case of an emergency, how are drills and trainings
conducted, measures taken for safe operations, who is
the designated person etc.
▪ Safety management plan is mainly the responsibility of
the owner of the vessel, or the designated person, or
the person appointed by the owner. However, the ship’s
master and the crew are the best people to make an
SMS as they know the vessel inside-out. 15
 These are the main parts of a basic
SMS; however, the plan might vary
according to the type of the vessel and
the cargo carried by the same. SMS play
an important role in the process of ISM
code implementation on ships.

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QUESTIONS
END OF PRESENTATION