At the Review Seminar-cum-Workshop amendments to the International Safety Management (ISM) Code was felt necessary in the changed environment
Last week’s Indian government sponsored Annual Seminar-cum-Workshop held at Powai to review Risk Assessment and Control vis-à-vis the ISM Code turned out to be an opportunity for industry‘s representatives and some veteran seafarers to take a pot-shot at the administration’s short comings. But the interaction did throw up constructive down-to-earth proposals giving a cause for having the International Safety Management (ISM) Code amended.
Referring to two recent accidents that occurred on the Indian coast, Ms Lakshmi Venkatachalam, Director General of Shipping, Government of India, gave her version of risk assessment. She contended, “If only seafarers would view such accidents and other casualties occurring as something that could happen to their ship and they faithfully and honestly adhered to the ISM code than all such accidents should not happen at all.”
The former chief surveyor to the government, Ajoy Chatterjee averred that the holistic approach is often being missed out and hence deficiencies of the whole ship and machinery should be looked at in this context. “Piracy being an external threat on a ship is not considered an operational problem,” he stated. “But it is becoming an operation problem. Then in this context what would be the risk assessment? How will a seafarer look at it?”
Though the general feeling was that the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) has not been able to resolve issues like external threat, S.C. Aneja, Principal Surveyor, Pacific Division of ABS considered that there is vulnerability in the whole present system of Risk Assessment & Control. “A ship is a very complex piece of machinery, all integrated into one and seafarers are doing their best working in a hostile environment. The classroom environment they have been groomed in cannot provide the solutions or the awareness of happening in this changed environment.”
It was noted that most shipping companies have risen to the occasion putting in place measures to tackle the situation. I.N. Bose, General Manager of Great Eastern Shipping Pvt. Ltd., stated “This is a major concern of all ship owners and during oil ship audits we are asked, ‘What are the mitigating measures?’ and ‘what is the hijack measure you have?’ Like other ship owners we too have a person continuously monitoring piracy.”
A trend that is gaining grounds is to provide training on-board. Besides, prior to joining ship seafarers are given a briefing in order to familiarise them to meet any exigencies. But the fact remains that much depends on the experience and the judgement of the seafarer.
As part of the Risk Assessment and Control measures some companies have listed out the typical hazards relating to different operations whether it is loading and unloading operation, bunkering, etc. In each case the task involved is identified, particular hazards involved, check list, the controls that need to be implemented.
But when it comes to operating a ship the gnawing question still stands out starkly – Is ISM code the be all and the end all of shipping?