SHIPBOARD OPERATION OF A COMPANY SMS MASTER
ROUTINE or
DECK DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
CATERING DEPARTMENT SSC DPA NOTIFICATION
FLEET & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT COMPANY TECHNICAL MANAGER
COMMERCIAL & MARKETING MANAGER HR/CREW Management
FLEET & OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT INTERNAL AUDITS & COMPANY REVIEWS
MASTERS’ REVIEWS of the SMS
A significant example. The DPA’s intervention in the context of planned maintenance work. It is traditional for the ship’s Chief Engineer, the local maintenance manager—a critical element in the safety and environmental protection of operations—to draw up a list of operations to be performed during the next technical stop/dry docking. This list, with the Master’s approval, is communicated to the shore-based technical manager, who will normally carry out an initial screening ... following his budget! So, this is a fairly logical first review and perhaps the first decision! Do you think the DPA can intervene on this occasion? Yes, of course. Aren’t they responsible for ensuring adequate resources and appropriate support on shore as needed? A process of informing the DPA therefore seems necessary throughout the actual decisions made during the “technical stopover,” as we call it!
Work flow: All requests from the shipboard management under a list of work prepared by the technical manager shipyard for quotation the budget
list of works jointly decided and
NB: All MMS or other software programs are now able to automatically transmit this information to the DPA, allowing direct oversight by the DPA of company support to ship’s demands within the framework of their responsibilities.
3-8 The DPA as the first person informed in the event of an accident and subsequently an important member of the Company’s crisis unit!
... perhaps an omission in the circular?
Indeed, the modern issue of crisis management as well as media management during a crisis situation, must be taken into account within the Company. Poor crisis management in the face of the media could be catastrophic for many companies.
Crisis management by the Company is a requirement of the Code (ISM Section 8.3), while, along with irregularities, accidents or near misses are “subject to investigation and analysis with the aim of strengthening safety” (ISM Section 9.1). Almost all companies (small or large) have a crisis cell that will help the Master to manage the situation and liaise with emergency services, families, and the media. Yet media management will be a very important part of the emergency response in the event of a maritime accident with casualties or pollution! Companies which have neglected or mismanaged the media during an emergency situation -the EXXON VALDEZ and COSTA CONCORDIA cases are the most significant- have been vilified in all media outlets, to
80 | ISSUE 115 | MAR 2026 | THE REPORT submitted to the
in response: the same list amended by the technical superintendent following quotation in comparison with the list of repairs really completed at the end of the technical stop over!
the point that some have disappeared (TONWSEND THORESEN) or almost disappeared (COSTA CROISIERE).
Or there was even the strange « banishment » of the EXXON VALDEZ from « American waters ». In the event of an accident, good media management is an essential function of the crisis unit. A Company’s training plan would be well advised to include serious training for all stakeholders (CEO, DPA, and other cross-functional managers, Masters), and even crew members!
4-DPA QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING
Somewhat overlooked at first, appropriate DPA training has finally been released, not without difficulty, with these circulars ... 14 years after its creation in the Code!
Wanting to be concise and brief, Jorgen Rasmussen († 2022), president, and our working group in IMO (HTW today) certainly considered that DPA training was included, if not almost automatic ... this was a sign of not knowing the shipowners well ... “we only do what is mandatory,” they continue to say!
Today, intelligently, Flag Administrations strongly recommend training described in the appropriate circular. Qualifications and training are simply but sufficiently described. However, the required experience is much more nebulous. Indeed, it’s as if a DPA must have DPA experience before being appointed ... which doesn’t make much sense, I’m sure you’ll agree!
CEO
COMPANY’S SMS REVIEW
(ANNUAL)
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