Safety management of roll-on/roll-off (Ro-ro) passenger ferries

The ESC unreservedly supported the proposal to make the ISM Code mandatory for passenger ferries with effect from 1 July 1996. It believed that any derogation from this requirement should be kept to an absolute minimum and limited to small companies operating domestic services in sheltered waters for a period of short duration. Particular importance was attached to compliance with part 6 of the Code concerning resources and personnel. Before accepting documents of compliance and safety management certificates issued by non-EU administrations or classification societies, Member States’ administrations should be entirely satisfied that the issuing authority required standards of compliance similar to their own.