What It Is
The SMS Manual is your vessel's documented safety management system, structured around the 12 chapters of the ISM Code. It contains the policies, procedures, and instructions for safe vessel operation, with each section tagged to the corresponding ISM clause.
How to Navigate
- •Go to Safety → SMS Manual
- •The manual is organised into 12 chapters:
- •Chapter 1: Introduction
- •Chapter 2: Safety & Environmental Policies
- •Chapter 3: Company Responsibilities & Authorities
- •Chapter 4: Designated Person(s)
- •Chapter 5: Master's Responsibility & Authority
- •Chapter 6: Resources & Personnel
- •Chapter 7: Shipboard Operations
- •Chapter 8: Emergency Preparedness
- •Chapter 9: Non-Conformities & Incidents
- •Chapter 10: Maintenance
- •Chapter 11: Documentation
- •Chapter 12: Verification & Review
- •Click any chapter in the sidebar to expand its sections
- •Each section is tagged with its ISM reference (e.g. ISM 5.1, ISM 9.3) and may contain subsections
ISM References
Every section in the manual carries the ISM Code reference it implements. This makes it easy to cross-reference findings, audit notes, and corrective actions back to the underlying clause — for example, a non-conformity raised against ISM 10.3 (Critical Equipment) links directly to Chapter 10's Critical Equipment section.
Search
A search bar at the top of the manual lets you find any topic across all 12 chapters. The search is fuzzy (typos and partial matches work) and weighs section titles, chapter titles, and section content — results take you straight to the relevant page.
SMS AI Assistant
The SMS Manual includes a built-in AI assistant. Open the AI panel to:
- •Summarise the current section in plain language
- •Ask what ISM requirements apply to the section you're viewing
- •Find what forms apply to that section
- •Understand how the section links to other chapters
- •Ask any free-form question about ISM, MLC, or SOLAS in the context of your manual
The assistant offers context-aware suggested prompts that vary by chapter — for example, on Chapter 8 (Emergency Preparedness) it suggests "Walk me through the emergency response codes", on Chapter 10 (Maintenance) "Help me identify critical equipment", and on Chapter 12 (Verification & Review) "What does the audit checklist cover?".
Tips
- •All crew should be familiar with Chapters 5 (Master's Authority), 7 (Shipboard Operations), and 8 (Emergency Preparedness)
- •Use the search bar before scrolling — it's far quicker for finding specific procedures
- •The SMS is a living document — if a procedure doesn't match actual practice, raise it via Safety → SMS Forms (Non Conformity or Observation) so it gets fixed
- •ISM references are useful when responding to PSC inspections or class audits — quote them directly