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ISM Code

Internal ISM audits on yachts.

Plan, conduct and report internal safety audits of your Safety Management System – on board, offline and in one consistent format.

What the ISM Code asks for

The International Safety Management (ISM) Code is mandatory under SOLAS for ships of 500 GT and above, including commercially operated yachts on international voyages.

Section 12 requires the company to carry out internal safety audits on board and ashore at intervals not exceeding twelve months. Auditors should be independent of the areas they audit, where the size of the company allows. Results are documented, brought to the attention of the personnel responsible and followed by timely corrective action.

Below 500 GT, many flag State codes such as the Red Ensign Group Yacht Code require a simplified Safety Management System for commercial yachts. The exact requirements depend on flag, size and type of operation.

This page is a general overview, not legal advice. The applicable requirements depend on flag State, classification society, size and operation of the yacht.

What the standard ISM checklist covers

ISMyAudit ships with a standard ISM checklist in 13 sections, following the structure of the Code:

  1. 1ISM scope and SMS overview
  2. 2Safety and environmental protection policy
  3. 3Company responsibilities and authority
  4. 4Designated person
  5. 5Master's responsibility and authority
  6. 6Resources and personnel
  7. 7Shipboard operations
  8. 8Emergency preparedness
  9. 9Non-conformities, accidents and hazardous occurrences
  10. 10Maintenance of ship and equipment
  11. 11Documentation
  12. 12Company verification, review and evaluation
  13. 13ISM audit close-out
ISMyAudit on iPad: ISM checklist section 1 with items marked OK, OBS and N/A and a note.

How ISMyAudit supports ISM audits

  • Structured on board

    Work section by section and mark each item OK, NC, OBS or N/A, with notes where they matter.

  • Combined visits

    Add ISM, ISPS and MLC to the same project when you cover them in one visit on board.

  • Report on completion

    Cover sheet, checklist pages and the non-conformities and observations end up in one PDF.

  • Your own checklist

    With Premium, your organisation's own versioned checklist replaces the standard checklist.

See an ISM audit in ISMyAudit.

We walk you through the ISM checklist, the findings and the finished report.

Book a demo