ISM, ISPS, ISO, VGP, MLC, DMLC Maritime internal audit
Ports in Canada, USA East Coast and other areas
The International Safety Management Code (ISM) requires Shipping Companies to have procedures for conducting both, ISM maritime internal and external audits, to ensure the ship as well as the shore organization are doing what is documented in the Safety Management System
Carrying out internal SMS audits, companies measure the effectiveness of their own systems.
Internal SMS and ISM audits are potentially more important than external audits for controlling the effectiveness of the system, since companies stand to gain or lose more than the external audit bodies if the system fails.
The company, its employees, shipmasters, officers and crews ‘own’ the safety management system and have a direct interest in ensuring that it is effective. As a result, the internal SMS audit, which represents these interests, should be at least equal to, if not exceed, the thoroughness of the external SMS audit process.