Classification society ClassNK is encouraging the maritime industry to adopt Safety Management Systems (SMS) that prioritise operational practicality and support seafarers in their daily responsibilities, rather than focusing solely on regulatory compliance.
According to ClassNK, while meeting international regulations remains essential, the effectiveness of an SMS should be measured by how well it supports safe, efficient, and consistent vessel operations under real-world conditions.
The organisation emphasises that an effective Safety Management System should not be judged by the volume of documentation it contains or by how closely it reflects regulatory language. Instead, it should provide clear, practical procedures that crews can easily understand and apply onboard.
Shipping companies are encouraged to translate regulatory requirements into operational processes that reflect actual workflows, enabling personnel to perform their duties confidently while maintaining compliance with international standards.
ClassNK notes that overly complex procedures can create unnecessary operational burdens for crews, reducing the usability of management systems and potentially affecting safety performance. Well-designed systems should simplify operations by offering practical guidance that supports decision-making during routine and emergency situations.
An effective Safety Management System should:
- Reflect actual onboard operational workflows.
- Provide clear and practical guidance for crews.
- Support consistent implementation across the fleet.
- Remain easy to use under real operating conditions.
The organisation also highlights that the effectiveness of an SMS can be evaluated through operational indicators such as accident and incident trends, Port State Control (PSC) inspection performance, crew understanding of procedures, and the overall operational workload experienced onboard.
To support continuous improvement, ClassNK promotes its Prime Shipmanagement Guidelines, which advocate a functional SMS approach. The guidelines encourage shipping companies to develop management systems that help seafarers respond effectively to operational challenges rather than simply fulfilling documentation requirements.
As the first classification society to join the Dry Bulk Centre of Excellence (DBCE), ClassNK is also contributing to the ongoing development of practical Safety Management Systems for the dry bulk shipping sector through support for the DryBMS framework.
With increasing industry attention on operational effectiveness and the human element in shipping, ClassNK believes organisations should focus on management systems that are practical, easy to implement, and capable of supporting safe, reliable vessel operations.
The organisation concludes that the most effective Safety Management System is not necessarily the most detailed, but the one that is consistently understood, readily applied, and fully integrated into everyday maritime operations.
