Brussels, 19/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has presented a proposed regulation making the "ISM" (International Safety Management Code), which was adopted in 1993 by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), obligatory. This code provides incentives for shipping companies to set up procedures to guarantee the safety of operations on board ship, in case of an incident or accident, and the prevention of pollution (these procedures involve, for example, ongoing staff training). Certificates will be issues to boats which meet the code's criteria, either by the national administration of the Member States, or by classification companies.
The Member States will then be able to refuse access to or departure from their ports to any vessel without ISM certificates. Furthermore, classification bodies and auditors of shipping companies and ships for ISM conformity will have to fulfil quality criteria contained within this new proposal/