International Safety Management (ISM) Code and Guidelines of Implemention of the SM Code

To coincide with the extension of the range of ships to which the application of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code is mandatory, amendments to chapter IX of SOLAS and to the ISM Code itself entered into force on 1 July 2002 and Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of the ISM Code by Administrations came into effect on the same date. Until July 2002, the ISM Code was mandatory under SOLAS for passenger ships (including high-speed craft), oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and cargo high-speed craft of 500 gross tonnage and upwards. From 1 July 2002 it is also mandatory for other cargo ships and mobile offshore drilling units of 500 gross tonnage and upwards.