Cleaning the seas of dross

After years of complaining about the impact of sub-standard shipping belief is growing that the development of a better safety culture may be effective. The drive to remove sub-standard ships is gathering momentum if administrators in the European Commission are to be believed. Their comments are based on the implementation of the ISM Code as the increased effectiveness of port state inspections begins to bite. However, other groups are not so sure.

The ISM Code is possibly the most interesting piece of international legislation to come out of IMO since it developed the formal concept of safety management. Some have termed it a license to operate. Notes Ian Hunter, chairman of the Marine Policy Committee at The Chamber of Shipping: “The ISM Code is fundamentally different from all previous maritime legislation in that the Code is generic rather than prescriptive.” This, he explains, means that it only lays down the general principles to be followed rather than the specific procedures.

The Code, combined with PSC inspections, is intended to ensure greater safety and foster a new safety culture. Other legislation, such as the revised STCW convention, is further intended to aid moves towards a developing safety culture. Nevertheless, owners complain that the Code has only formalised operations that decent companies already had in place.

Another aspect is that governments and port state authorities consistently highlight the need to drive sub-standard ships from the seas. Comments Glenda Jackson, the UK`s Shipping Minister; “It is no one`s interest to allow a high number of sub-standard ships on our oceans.” But wryly comments Mr Hunter: “The ISM Code will not remove sub-standard shipping any more than the ten commandments stopped adultery or stopped a man from coveting his neighbour`s ass.”