Engineering Circular No. 128

Subject:- Guidelines for auditors for carrying out interim Safety Management Certificate (SMC) audit under International Safety Management (ISM) Code

1. It has been observed that while carrying out interim SMC audits, the Safety Management System onboard the ship are not being thoroughly verified which leads to vessels being exposed to serious incidents/accidents. In order to stream line the system, the Directorate lays down following guidelines for compliance by the auditors whenever they under take any interim SMC audit, auditors are required,
   1. to comment explicitly on the findings of the reports shown in the log books/voyage reports with regard to vessel's performance during the last one year,
   2. to verify, whether all the shipboard documents are, in English and clearly readable. In case documents are, not in English or in comprehensible and not legible, no interim certification is to be considered till rectification,
   3. to verify that all the requirements of ISM code are complied with during interim SMC audit for implementation of the company SMS except verification of records,
   4. to verify that all the machinery and equipment are meeting the statutory requirements and in operational condition to perform the functions for which they are intended with special attention to the past one year performance of the machinery.
   5. to under take realistic emergency preparedness drills and ensure that they are effectively implementable,
   6. to verify that all shipboard personnel are well aware of their role and responsibility in performing their functions as laid down in the company SMS,
   7. to verify that all shipboard personnel have clear understanding of the company's policy in implementation of the safety and pollution prevention aspects,
   8. to verify that the company is in possession of valid Document of Compliance (DOC) for the applicable ship type including other statutory certificates,
   9. to verify that the safe manning is provided onboard as per the minimum safe manning document issued by the Administration,
   10. to verify that the para 2 of Part-B of the Eng. Circ. 84 dated 04th May, 2007 with respect to the responsibility of the company prior & after taking over the management of a ship from the ship owner, in case the ship owner is handing over the management of the ship to a company (ship Manager) has been complied satisfactorily.

      Sd/-

      (D. Mehrotra)

      Dy. Chief Surveyor cum Sr. DDG(Tech)