Inspamar – 2025

International Safety Management Code (ISM Code)

Importance

The growing concern over the numerous maritime accidents that occurred in the last decades of the 20th century, where it is estimated that 80% were caused by human error, led the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to develop the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code). Its origins date back to the late 1980s when the IMO, through Resolution A.596(15) adopted in 1987, began working on improving management standards in maritime transport. Finally, the ISM Code was made mandatory in 1993 through Resolution A.741(18) and came into effect on July 1, 1998.

What is the ISM Code?

The International Safety Management Code (ISM Code) is an international regulation established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) aimed at ensuring the operational safety of vessels and preventing marine pollution. It requires shipping companies to implement a management system that defines clear procedures, designates responsible individuals both onshore and onboard, and promotes a safety culture. Additionally, it mandates documenting all policies in a Safety Management Manual, ensuring compliance with mandatory regulations to protect people, the environment, and maritime operations.

The ISM Code consists of a total of 16 articles that establish general principles and objectives, providing the necessary flexibility for its successful and widespread application.

Part A:
It is the mandatory part that describes the minimum compliance standards with the provisions of the code, consisting of the first twelve (12) articles, which together constitute the "implementation" part.

  1. Generalities.

  2. Principles on Safety and Environmental Protection.

  3. Company Responsibility and Authority.

  4. Designated Persons.

  5. Captain's Responsibility and Authority.

  6. Personal and Resources

  7. Preparation of Plans for Onboard Operations.

  8. Emergency preparations:

  9. Reports and Analysis of Non-compliance Cases, Accidents, and Potentially Hazardous Events.

  10. Vessel and Equipment Maintenance.

  11. Documentation:

  12. Verification by the Company, Examination, and Evaluation.

Part B:
It is the guideline of recommendations that describes the guidelines for the smooth execution of the code. Consisting of Articles 13, 14, 15, and 16, this part is dedicated to "Certification and Verification."

  1. Certification and Periodic Verification.

  2. Provisional Certification.

  3. Verification

  4. Certified Models.

Objectives of the ISM Code

Application of the ISM Code

The following vessels are subject to mandatory compliance with the ISM Code, according to the effective dates specified in Rule IX/2 of the SOLAS Convention:

  • Since July 1, 1998:

    • Passenger vessels, including high-speed passenger vessels.

    • Oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers, and high-speed cargo vessels with a gross tonnage of 500 GT or more.

  • A partir del 1 de julio de 2002:

    • Buques de carga y unidades móviles de perforación mar adentro de arqueo igual o superior a 500 UAB.

  • Exception:

    • State vessels used for non-commercial purposes, as detailed in Rule II/2.

Certification of the company-vessel(s) pair.

CertificateDescriptionValidity and Frequency of Verification
Document of Compliance (DOC)A certificate issued after the initial verification, confirming compliance with the ISM Code.Annual verification conducted within three months before or after the anniversary date. Maximum of 12 months.
Interim Compliance Document (Interim DOC)To facilitate the initial implementation of the ISM Code in new companies or transitional situations.Periodic review during its validity (maximum 12 months).
Safety Management Certificate (SMC)It certifies that the vessel complies with the approved Safety Management System (SMS).At least one intermediate verification (between the 2nd and 3rd year). Validity: 5 years.
Interim Safety Management Certificate (Interim SMC)For new vessels or changes in management before full certification.Evaluation of progress within a maximum period of 6 months.

Amendments to the ISM Code

The ISM Code became mandatory with the entry into force on July 1, 1998, of the 1994 amendments to the SOLAS Convention, which introduced a new Chapter IX in the Convention. Since then, it has been amended through various resolutions, such as:


I. In 2000, through Resolution MSC.104(73); these amendments came into force on July 1, 2002.


II. In 2004, through Resolution MSC.179(79); these amendments came into force on July 1, 2006.


III. In 2005, through Resolution MSC.195(80); these amendments came into force on January 1, 2009.


IV. In 2008, through Resolution MSC.273(85); these amendments came into force on July 1, 2010.


V. In 2013, through Resolution MSC.353(92); these amendments came into force on January 1, 2015.

What is the latest version of the ISM Code?

The ISM Code is periodically amended to include new provisions or guidelines. The 2018 edition of the ISM Code is the most recent, according to Resolution A.788(19).

Application of the code for vessels flying the Mexican flag.

The Mexican Administration creates the regulatory framework to comply with the ISM Code through the provisions set forth in Article 393 of the Regulation of the Navigation and Maritime Commerce Law (RLNCM)which specifies the scope of application of the Code by making the following classification according to the type of navigation of vessels and/or Mobile Offshore Units:

1. Inland or cabotage navigation:
They must comply with the provisions established in the corresponding Mexican Official Standard.

2. Ocean navigation:
They must comply with the provisions set forth in Chapter IX of the SOLAS Convention and the ISM Code.

La NOM-036-SCT4-2007, Operational safety management and pollution prevention by vessels and naval artifacts.It was published in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) on August 17, 2007. It corresponds to standard 393 of the RLNCM, applicable to shipping companies and shipowners, as well as to their vessels or naval artifacts, that carry out voyages in inland and cabotage navigation, such as:

  • Vessels or naval artifacts for passenger transport of 100 gross tonnage or more.

  • Non-petroleum vessels transporting bulk hydrocarbons, with a total capacity of 200 cubic meters or more.

  • Cargo vessels with a gross tonnage of 400 tons or more.

  • Oil tankers with a gross tonnage of 150 tons or more.

  • Mobile offshore units with a gross tonnage of 500 units.

Políticas anticorrupción

 AUDITORES E INSPECTORES MARÍTIMOS, S.C. (INSPAMAR), is committed to providing services through a transparent and efficient process that adheres to applicable legal, technical, and administrative requirements, by establishing quality objectives that lead to market penetration and contribute to customer satisfaction, taking into account the following:

Bribery shall be understood as any offer, promise, delivery, acceptance, or request for an undue advantage of any value (which may be of a financial or non-financial nature), directly or indirectly, and regardless of its location, in violation of applicable laws; as an incentive or reward for a person to act or refrain from acting in relation to the performance of that person's obligations to INSPAMAR.

  • General Law of the National Anti-Corruption System.
  • General Law of Administrative Responsibilities.
  • Federal Law for the Prevention and Identification of Transactions Involving Illicitly Obtained Funds.
  • Code of Conduct.

1. Accounting records. The alteration or falsification of accounting records to conceal bribes or improper payments is prohibited, as well as engaging in fraudulent practices.

2. Improper payments to the public sector. It is prohibited to pay, offer to pay, or authorize the payment, directly or indirectly, of any item of value to any government official, political party, or candidate, with the purpose of obtaining or securing an advantage, delivering an advantage to a person, or obtaining an undue advantage.

3. It is prohibited to give money, shares, gifts, political contributions, meals, travel expenses, entertainment, or job offers to officials or their family members.

4. It is prohibited to provide courtesies to third parties, understood as gifts, meals, services, entertainment, promotional items, or anything else of value related to the promotion of INSPAMAR.

5. Receipt of gifts. Employees and service providers are expressly prohibited from requesting and receiving gifts or courtesies from beneficiaries, suppliers, service providers, or partners.

6. Conflict of interest. These are situations in which a person is faced with choosing between the duties and demands of their position and their personal, work, family, or business interests. In other words, when the interests of INSPAMAR’s employees may differ from the interests of the organization, either directly or indirectly.

Any employee or service provider who refuses to participate in this initiative may be subject to a sanction. In the event of deliberately violating this policy or contravening the provisions set forth herein, they will be liable to the termination of any contractual relationship, as well as proper notification to the relevant authorities.

This policy is public and distributed through printed and electronic media, and it will be reviewed and updated periodically.

Naval Engineering Services

Engineering Services

  • Preparation and updating of vessel and naval craft plans.
  • Conducting stability, freeboard, and tonnage studies.
  • Preparation and translation of technical documents and manuals.
  • Development of CATI engineering (loading, mooring, transportation, and installation of offshore platforms).
  • Structural analysis using finite element method.
  • Design of offshore racks in accordance with DNV and ABS standards.

Management, Consulting, and Inspection Services before the Secretariat of the Navy (UNICAPAM).

  • Procedures for the registration of vessels and naval artifacts.
  • Second-party audit for the registration and approval of service facilities, such as:
  • Shipyards, dry docks, yards, and construction workshops.
  • Receiver of waste produced by vessels.
  • Service facilities for lifesaving devices and fire protection equipment and systems.
  • Inspection of status and condition for vessel registration, endorsement, or renewal of statutory certificates.

Specialized Technical Assistance Services

  • Cargo handling, unloading, and transportation of marine structures.
  • Advisory and training on the management of statutory and class certificates.
  • Vessel and naval craft appraisals.
  • Pre-checklist, status, and condition for contract entry.
  • Draft Survey Inspection

Inspection and certification of Mexican-registered vessels and naval craft engaged in inland navigation and cabotage, under 500 Gross Tonnage (GT).

For the issuance or renewal of the following certificates.

  • National Security Certificate in the following modalities:
  • Cargo vessels (under 400 Gross Tonnage), fishing vessels, and mixed vessels.
  • Passenger vessels equal to or under 300 Gross Tonnage (GT).
  • National Radioelectronic Safety Certificate.
  • National Freeboard Certificate.

Privacy Notice

In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Law on the Protection of Personal Data Held by Private Parties, its Regulations, and the Privacy Notice Guidelines (“Notice”), Auditores e Inspectores Marítimos S.C. (“Responsible Party”), as the entity responsible for collecting your personal data, the use given to them, and their protection, hereby issues this Notice as follows:

1.- La información personal a la que tenga acceso el responsable será utilizada, según corresponda, para: (i) contactarlo; (ii) proveer los servicios legales y/o técnicos solicitados; (iii) crear, cargar y mantener actualizado su perfil en la base de datos del Responsable; (iv) elaborar facturas electrónicas por la prestación de los servicios brindados y (c) evaluar la calidad de los servicios brindados.

For the purposes mentioned in the previous paragraph, the Controller may require the following personal information: full name or company name, address, date and place of birth, place of residence, gender, email, telephone, mobile number, institution where you are or have been enrolled, place of employment or previous employment, and Federal Taxpayer Registry (the "Personal Data").

2.- By providing your personal data through an application, digital form, email, or any other means, you accept and authorize Auditores e Inspectores Marítimos S.C. to use and process your data and the information provided in an automated manner, which will become part of our database for the purpose of using it, including but not limited to: identifying you, locating you, communicating with you, contacting you, sending you information and/or goods, as well as sending and/or transferring it to authorities at any level (Federal, State, and Municipal) by any legally permitted means to fulfill our corporate purposes.

3.- In accordance with Article 22 of the Law, you have the right to access, rectify, and cancel your personal data, as well as to object to its processing or revoke the consent you have granted for such purposes, through the procedures we have implemented. To learn about these procedures, the requirements, and the timelines, you may contact us via email. contacto@inspamar.com

4.- The duration of the management of your personal data will be indefinite from the date it is provided, and you may object to its management whenever you deem appropriate, subject to the limitations of the Law. In the meantime, Auditores e Inspectores Marítimos S.C. will protect your personal data in accordance with the Law.

If you wish to stop receiving promotional messages from us, you can request it via email. contacto@inspamar.com

Any modification to this privacy notice can be reviewed on our website.

5.- This Privacy Notice may be modified to implement improvements and/or new security measures. Any modifications will be published on the website. www.inspamar.com