Harmonisation of ISPS International Ship Security Certificates (ISSC) and ISM Safety Management Certificates (SMC)
Shipping Notice: CISN 18/2004
Published 14th July 2004, 8:54am
To: Owners, Managers, Designated Persons, Masters, Company Security Officers, Ship Security Officers, Surveyors and Classification Societies
Background
There are several similarities between the ISM and ISPS Codes that are now mandatory for the majority of ships.
Both Codes call for initial, intermediate and renewal verifications to be carried out at similar intervals throughout a 5 year certification cycle.
A number of companies have expressed interest in having both the ISSC, issued under the ISPS Code, and the SMC, issued under the ISM Code, harmonised so that intermediate and renewal verifications are due at the same time and can be undertaken at a single visit.
Consequences associated with harmonization of the ISSC and SMC
With harmonised certificates it may be possible to conduct the verifications required by each Code during the same visit. This will mean a saving in costs associated with travel expenses and travel time.
There should be a saving in audit times by conducting both verifications at the same visit. It will not be possible to conduct both verifications in the time required for a single verification, but the common elements between the Codes means that both verifications should be capable of being completed in less time than conducting the verifications at separate visits.
For many ships, the combined verification times are likely to exceed a full day onboard. As such, harmonising of certificates and performing both verifications at the same visit may not be appropriate for ships with short turn round times in port.
Despite the best efforts of auditors, some disruption to normal operations is inevitable when verifications are being conducted. This period of minimal disruption will be longer when conducting both verifications at a single visit than if only a single verification was being conducted.
Where ISM and ISPS certificates have been harmonised and, due to time constraints, it is not possible to conduct both required verifications at a single visit a further visit will be required.
Method of harmonization
The majority of ships which have obtained ISPS Certification will now have an ISSC and a SMC with differing range dates for intermediate verifications and differing expiry dates.
Both the ISM and ISPS Codes make provision for early renewal of certificates1. As such, the certificates can be harmonised at any time while both the ISSC and SMC are valid.
Harmonization at a Renewal Verification: Should a company so request, both renewal verifications can be carried out when the first of the certificates is due for renewal. Both certificates will then be renewed with corresponding expiry dates and Intermediate Verification range dates. Certificates will have an expiry date corresponding to the 5th anniversary of completion of the verifications and not corresponding to the anniversary of the expiry date of the “old” certificate which was due for renewal.
Harmonisation at other times: At any time during the validity of the certificates, a company may elect to renew both certificates prior to the “renewal window” of the last three months of validity. Again, new certificates will bear an expiry date corresponding to the 5th anniversary of the completion of the verifications.
Certificates with a validity of less than 5 years
Unless specifically requested by the company; ISSCs and SMCs with a validity of less than five years to correspond with the expiry of the other, existing, certificate will not be issued.
1. ISM B/13.11 and ISPS A/19.3.2.2
For further information contact: Corporate Communications