Tanker Management Self Assessment (TMSA)

Introduction
OCIMF (The Oil Companies International Marine Forum), through its best-practice guide Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA), has challenged tanker owners and operators to evaluate their approach to the ISM Code, to improve their management systems and to demonstrate a strong commitment to safety and environmental excellence. The TMSA guide provides a standard framework to assess a ship operators management systems. The Tanker Management and Self Assessment guide is a tool created by the OCIMF to help ship operators measure and improve on their management systems. The TMSA provides a standard framework to assess a ship operators management system. The main concept is for the tanker operator to audit their own operational safety, quality and environmental procedures. The OCIMF has detailed 12 self-assessment elements that companies can follow to demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement in safety and environmental excellence within the tanker industry.

The 12 elements are:


 * management, leadership and accountability
 * recruitment and management of shore-based personnel
 * recruitment and management of ships personnel
 * reliability and maintenance standards
 * navigational safety
 * cargo ballasting and mooring operations
 * management of change
 * incident investigation and analysis
 * safety management
 * environmental management
 * emergency preparedness and contingency planning
 * measurement, analysis and improvement.

Companies which are compliant and consistent with their reporting should see beneficial results from charterers and a reduction in some inspection times. Charterers are looking for ever-increasing standards and particularly during difficult economic times, they have a lot of choice of suppliers. Where there is a choice, there needs to be clear differentiators. High evidence-based standards are one of the key differentiators and allow some movement away from purely price-based negotiations.

The ‘self-assessment’ process
Reporting and practice must be consistent! There is a risk – and this happens in other industries too – that the self-assessment process is flawed by being viewed as a soft-option. The assessment is sometimes, ‘what can we get away with?’ or ‘what’s the right answer?’ or maybe ‘what’s an assessor most likely to assess?’ None of these questions are true to the spirit of the self-assessment process.

The TMSA has now been around for more than 6 years and during that time there has been an huge amount of extra administrative and legislative burden, so the temptation may be strong to fill in the ‘right’ answers and hope: Almost as a time management issue as much as anything else. One of the key benefits of the self-assessment system is that it should lead to a simpler type of inspection where the assessor chooses one or two items for inspection and examines reported self-assessment against observable practice and evidence. As long as there is consistency the assessor is most likely to be satisfied. Should there be a gap between the reported items and what is observed, it is more likely to lead to more in-depth assessment and non-compliances.

The human element of people management and development is key to a number of the TMSA elements and that has been where I have helped companies train their leadership groups, ships staff and shore-based teams. A common theme that runs through many of these groups is that they are mainly command and control structures. Whilst a number of companies, and certain individuals, would agree that that is THE way it should be, there are unintended consequences.

There have been a number of disasters and incidents over the years where the impact has been greater than it needed to be. In one case where there were many souls lost, the investigation heard reports that 'the word of the captain was like the word of God', meaning that it was never questioned. Proper and mature modern management methods allow for all 'words' to be questioned. Particularly if there exists any doubt in understanding or if the technician is aware of an issue which may cause the instruction to be unsafe.

A command and control environment works best in emergencies and crises. It is not the right time to have a discussion during those times. It literally is 'all hands on deck'. The time of crisis, however, can be planned for : With drills, as it is with issues such as evacuation and with skills training - both technical and soft-skills. In this way command is still respected but control is exercised with a fuller understanding and practice of the rights, roles and responsibilities of all staff and crew.

Sometimes the issue is one of national or group culture and the relationship it has with another group. The modern management of the human element has to look for and demonstrate ways that all cultural groups and relationships have been encouraged to develop and co-operate. This of course make complete sense. Better developed and co-operative staff bring better results, have fewer accidents and contribute to the well- being of their fellow crew.

TMSA Objectives
To make a standard framework for assessments of the operators management system and to be consistent about it. To provide clarity in the company’s policies, streamline to ensure that these systems are known &amp; implemented throughout the organization. i.e. every level. To make plans, procedures &amp; systems to achieve the organizations objectives. To check, to evaluate and to create feedback systems from results obtained. To define targets and focus the efforts on areas where maximum benefits and improvements can obviously be obtained. To reduce the risk of incidents and accidents involving; threat to human life, the environment, the cargo and the ship and her equipment

Elements from ISM, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 &amp; OHSAS 18001 are integrated new requirements are set or existing are enhanced personnel qualifications are re-enforced benchmarking, performance targets and progress measurement are requested management of change is highlighted