With the entry in force, on 1st July 1998, of the 1994 amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, which introduced a new chapter IX into the Convention, the International Safety Management (ISM) Code was made mandatory. Chapter IX was amended by resolution MSC.99(73), which entered into force on 1st July 2002, and by resolution MSC.194(80), which entered into force on 1st January 2009.

The code's origins go back to the late 1980s, when there was mounting concern about poor management standards in shipping. Investigations into accidents revealed major errors on the part of management, and in 1987 the IMO Assembly adopted resolution A.596(15), which called upon the Maritime Safety Committee to develop guidelines concerning shipboard and shore-based management to ensure the safe operation of ro-ro passenger ferries.

The ISM Code evolved through the development of the Guidelines on management for the safe operation of ships and for pollution prevention, adopted in 1989 by the IMO Assembly as resolution A.647(16), and the Revised Guidelines, adopted two years later as resolution A.680(17), to its current form, the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention (International Safety Management (ISM) Code), which was adopted in 1983 as resolution A.741(18). This code was amended in December 2000 by resolution MSC.104(73), and these amendments entered into force on 1st July 2002. It was further amended in December 2004 by resolution MSC.179(79), and these amendments entered into force on 1st July 2006. It was further amended in May 2005 by resolution MSC.195(80), and these amendments entered into force on 1st January 2009. The ISM Code was also amended in December 2008 by resolution MSC.273(85). This resolution was adopted on 1st January 2010, and the amendments will enter into force on 1st July 2010.

In 1995, the IMO Assembly, recognizing the need for uniform implementation of the ISM Code and that there might be a need for Administrations to enter into agreements in respect of the issuance of certificates by other Administrations in accordance with SOLAS Chapter IX and the ISM Code, adopted the Guidelines on implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Administrations by resolution A.788(19). These Guidelines were replaced with Revised Guidelines, which were adopted by resolution A.913(22) in November 2001, which revoked resolution A.788(19). Guidelines on implementation of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Administration were adopted by resolution A.1022(26) in December 2009. This resolution revokes resolution A.913(22) with effect from 1st July 2010.

International Safety Management (ISM) Code means The International Management Code for the Safe Operations of Ships and for Pollution Prevention adopted by the Organization by resolution A.741(18), and became mandatory by virtue of the entry into force on 1st July 1998 of SOLAS chapter IX on Management for the Safe Operations of Ships. The ISM Code provides an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention.

The ISM Code provides an International standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for pollution prevention.

• To ensure Safety at Sea.
• To prevent human injury or loss of life.
• To avoid damage to the environment and to the ship.

• Commitment from top management
• A Top Tier Policy Manual
• A Procedures Manual that documents what is done on board the ship
• Procedures for conducting both internal and external audits to ensure the ship is doing what is documented in the Procedures Manual
• A Designated Person to serve as the link between the ships and shore staff
• A system for identifying where actual practices do not meet those that are documented and for implementing associated corrective action
• Regular management reviews

Another part of the ISM is the mandatory Planned Maintenance System which is used as a tool maintaining the vessel according to the specified maintenance intervals.

Each ISM compliant ship is audited, first by the Company (internal audit) and then by the Flag State Marine Administration to verify the fulfillment and effectiveness of their Safety Management System. Once SMS is verified and it is working and effectively implemented, the ship is issued with The Safety Management Certificate. Comments from the auditor and/or audit body and from the ship are incorporated into the SMS by headquarters.

The ISM Code was created by IMO and Capt. Graham Botterill among others bring advising.