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Offshore Vessel Management and Self-Assessment

Conference Paper · September 2016

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August 22, 2016 19:48 RPS 005

Offshore Vessel Management and Self-Assessment

Capt. Naveen S Singhal*1 and Arun Dev**2

*JAG Consultants Pte Ltd, Singapore
**School of Marine Science and Technology, Newcastle University

The ISM Code was introduced in 1998 as a Safety Management System standard with the
aim of improving Safety and Environmental standards in Shipping and Offshore vessel
operations. Whilst the ISM Code did improve Safety and Environmental standards,
however the Oil Majors did not find it adequate to match the high HSE standards of up-
stream and down-stream offshore industry. In the year 2011, OCIMF created the OVMSA.
This paper presents OVMSA (Offshore Vessel Management and Self-Assessment), a Best-
Practice Guidance tool for Offshore Vessel Operators, aimed at improving Offshore
Safety and Environmental standards and performance.

INTRODUCTION

Developing a good management team is a critical requirement for any successful shipping company.
Ship Managers not only monitor vessels but also make important decisions that directly affect the
safety of the asset. A robust QHSE (Quality, health, Safety & Environment) management system
ensures the effective implementation of QHSE processes and drives continual improvement. A good
QHSE system drives:

1. Reduction in wastage
2. Improves environmental performance
3. Improves processes and their control
4. Lowers operating costs
5. Raise Morale
6. Improves Company’s reputation

Six years after the ISM Code (1998) in June of 2004, the Oil Companies International Marine
Forum (OCIMF) released the Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA). This was based on
the ISO standards of Quality Management with inputs from ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 and aimed
at improving the HSE standards and performance of Tanker vessel operations. This was successfully
implemented in the global tanker industry raising the Safety and Environmental standards of Tanker
operators. With the success of TMSA, in 2012, OCIMF introduced the OVMSA to bring the Offshore

Proc. of the 6th Intl. Conf. on Technology and Operation of Offshore Support Vessels (OSV Singapore 2016)
Edited by Arun K Dev :: Copyright  c 2016 OSV Singapore 2016 Organizers.
ISBN: 978-981-08-7921-1 :: Published by Research Publishing, Singapore. www.rpsonline.com.sg 36
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Proc. of the 6th Intl. Conf. on Technology and Operation of Offshore Support Vessels 37

vessel operators on-board. The OVMSA is very similar to TMSA with one clause which is different in
OVMSA and specially focuses on Offshore operations. It complements industry quality codes and is
intended to encourage a self-regulation concept to pro-actively promote continuous improvement
amongst Offshore operators. While International Conventions like SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) and
the International Safety Management (ISM) code are meant to enhance safety of merchant shipping to
achieve incident-free operations, however effective implementation of these regulations depends
significantly on the Vessel operator in establishing an effective safety management system. The
OVMSA programme helps Offshore vessel operators to improve their safety management systems and
standards from Stage-1 gradually to the best Stage-4. This of course is based on a Company’s policies
and resources available. The programme encourages Offshore vessel operators to assess their own
safety management system against pre-defined performance indicators and also provides guidance on
how to attain and improve HSE standards and performance.

WHAT IS OVMSA?

TheȱOVMSAȱDocumentȱcomprisesȱofȱaȱseriesȱofȱ12ȱElements,ȱwhichȱinȱturnȱareȱcomposedȱofȱ
1ȱorȱmoreȱKPIsȱ(effectivelyȱquestions).ȱTheȱOVMSAȱdocumentȱpreparationȱandȱsubmissionȱisȱ
optional.ȱAȱcompanyȱcanȱcompleteȱanyȱpartȱofȱtheȱdocumentȱinȱanyȱorderȱandȱpublishȱatȱanyȱ
pointȱinȱtime.ȱTheȱOVMSAȱconceptȱisȱbasedȱuponȱcontinuousȱimprovementȱprocessesȱandȱ
encouragesȱcompaniesȱtoȱimproveȱtheirȱHSEȱstandardsȱandȱtherebyȱOVMSAȱrankings.ȱ ȱ
The OVMSA programme offers a standard framework for assessment of a vessel operator’s safety
management systems. The framework is based on 12 main and a number of Sub-elements of
management practice, each associated with an objective and supporting indicators. This helps
operators assess the level of attainment in their company. Elements are ranked from Stage 1 (Lowest)
to Stage 4 (Highest).

1. Management, leadership and accountability.

2. Recruitment and management of shore-based personnel.
3. Recruitment and management of vessel personnel.
4. Reliability and maintenance standards.
5. Navigational safety.
6. Offshore operations and the Management of contractors.
7. Management of change.
8. Incident investigation analysis.
9. Safety management.
10. Environmental management.
11. Emergency preparedness and contingency planning.
12. Measurement, analysis and Improvement
ȱ
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38 Arun Kr Dev (Eds.)

Each of the above element is broken down into 4 stages. KPIs in stage 1 are easier to answer yes
than KPIs in stage 4. All the KPIs over the 4 stages have the same objective, though however they
vary on the degree of implementation of the requirements which vary from Stage-1 to Stage-4.
Example stage 1 KPI: “Management commitment is clearly defined in documentation that
includes mission and vision statements, policies and procedures.”
Example stage 4 KPI: “All vessel and shore personnel demonstrate their commitment to safety
and environmental excellence.”
OCIMF maintains the OVMSA database. This database is accessible to members with some
restrictions which are imposed by the Vessel operators, who uploads the OVMSA reports.
Vessel Operators and members use it to:
¾ Complete a self-assessment questionnaire (OVMSA Document)
¾ Maintain a historical archive of OVMSA Documents
¾ Share Document[s] with OCIMF Members
OCIMF Members access it to:
¾ View current and historical OVMSA Documents for Vessel Operators
¾ Request access to OVMSA Documents
A Vessel Operator can select whether Documents can be viewed by:
¾ All members, or
¾ A list of explicitly chosen Members (opt-in rather than opt-out)
Members can request access to an Operator’s OVMSA Documents. At the point of requesting
access, an e-mail is sent to the Operator letting them know that the Member has requested permission.

OVMSA SELF-ASSESSMENT

OVMSA self-assessment is done by each company using the OVMSA standard generally with the
assistance of a specialist who has experience with ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001 and HSE
Management system standards. An assessment of each department is carried out based on the OVMSA
requirements, to verify actual compliance. It is quite similar to an audit. Such an assessment exercise
could last for about 3 days followed by a report on the stage or level of compliance with the OVMSA
guidelines and requirements.
The Self -Assessment would typically include departments such as:
¾ Technical (Maintenance & Operations)
¾ Offshore Operations
¾ Marine department
¾ HSE department
¾ Crew, Training and appraisal
¾ Shore HR, Training and appraisal
Vessel operators could use the assessment results to identify the weak areas and develop a plan to
improve their standards. Operators can share their OVMSA assessments/submissions with potential
charterers via the OCIMF’s OVMSA database for all prospective charterers to view.
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Proc. of the 6th Intl. Conf. on Technology and Operation of Offshore Support Vessels 39

OVMSA AND IMPORTANCE IN THE INDUSTRY

Charterers and Oil Majors seeking long term relationship and ‘time charter’, will invariably require
companies to assess, prepare and upload their OVMSA self-assessment. More often than not, it would
also entail the company to be actually assessed by an Oil Major.
The OVMSA addresses several issues beyond the ISM Code requirements, such as:

x Establishing performance indicators and benchmarks to measure performance

x Leadership and role of top management
x Recruitment standards for shore based and ship board staff
x Defining Environmental objectives to improve environmental performance
x System to monitor and control changes in process, people and other changes
x Well defined process of Risk Management

It complements industry codes (ISM and ISO/OHSAS standards), encourages self-regulation and
promotes continuous improvement. Oil Majors encourage Vessel operators to conduct self-assessment
and share with potential charterers via the OVMSA database. OVMSA rankings is rapidly gaining
international credibility and acceptance as a commercial indicator/benchmark to assess an Offshore
Operator’s HSE standards.
As a tool for driving up safety standards, the OVMSA is rapidly gaining international credibility
and acceptance as a benchmark of an Offshore Operator’s HSE standards with significant commercial
value as well.

BENEFITS OF OVMSA

Benefits of achieving good OVMSA rankings:

x Provides Customer/Charterer assurance of a company’s Management system standards based
on accurate submissions.
x Enhances and improves Company’s performance during an external OVMSA audit.
x Enables a Company to assess their Management system against an accepted international
standard and identify opportunities for improvement.
x Significantly important for negotiating international business and charters.

COMMENTS FROM A TYPICAL USER

Quote: “The assessment has been a time-consuming task but has paid off: An integrated Management
system documentation has actually reduced our paper work and made it more meaningful. It serves as
a great tool to continually improve our Company’s HSE standards and bring them in line with the
requirements of our Customer (Oil Majors)”
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40 Arun Kr Dev (Eds.)

DISCUSSION

Realistic, measureable and true submissions of OVMSA go a long way in strengthening an Offshore
Vessel operator’s confidence with various stakeholders and in particular Oil Majors. It also provides
assurance to a prospective Charterer of an Operator’s capability to perform safe and efficient Offshore
Operations. Such an assessment brings transparency on the HSE standard of a Company. In a market
which is becoming increasingly competitive, it provides an opportunity for an Offshore owners and
operator to develop a long term relation-ship with a Charterer or Oil Major and thus a stable and
steady financial security of the company.

REFERENCES

1. OCIMF www.ocimf-tmsa.com
2. OVMSA document (OCIMF)
3. TMSA document (OCIMF)
4. ISO 9001:2015
5. ISO 14001:2015
6. OHSAS 18001:2007
7. ISM Code:2015

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