Dated 6.10.2010

Subject:-  (Supersedes Eng. Circ. No. 128 dated 06.10.2010)  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; as follows:

.1   to comment in his report in the event any major issues have been observed  in the vessel's performance in the last one year, if such records are available on board. In case such records are not available and the vessel was not classed with an IACS member as approved by the GOI or, if the vessel is more than ten years old from the date of delivery, this shall be immediately brought to the notice of the PSC/FSI cell at DGS by the auditor, and the DGS will depute an RO for General Inspection or FSI by the administration, notwithstanding the provision vide para. 3.9 of the MSL Branch Circular 2 of 2008 dated 28^th August 2008, at the expense of the ship owner.

.2   to verify that all the shipboard drawings documents are in English and clearly readable. In the event of documents not being in English or incomprehensible or not legible, a limited interim Safety Management Certificate may be issued for a maximum period of six months in order to facilitate the company to place onboard all drawings documents which are legible and in English;

.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, if such records available onboard. In case such records are not available, the provisions of para 1.1 above shall be attracted;

.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 /Interim 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 2.1 a, b and d of  Part-B of the Eng. Circ. 84 dated 04^th 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)

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