Your examiner asks: "If you identify a non-conformity with the SMS during your watch, what are your obligations under the ISM Code?" Give a complete OOW-level answer.

A. The OOW must report the non-conformity to the master. The SMS must require the master and crew to report non-conformities, accidents and hazardous occurrences (near misses) to the company. The company's SMS must include a procedure for reporting and analysing non-conformities with a view to prevention and continuous improvement.

B. Non-conformities are the responsibility of the Chief Officer only. The OOW should make a note in the personal log and report to the Chief Officer at the end of the watch.

C. The ISM Code requires the OOW to correct any non-conformity immediately without reporting it, unless the non-conformity cannot be corrected within 24 hours.

D. Non-conformities are only reportable to the flag state by the company once per year as part of the annual SMS review. On-board reporting is voluntary.

A. The International Safety Management Code is a mandatory international standard for the safe management and operation of ships. It is given mandatory effect by SOLAS Chapter IX, which requires companies and ships of 500 GT and above on international voyages to hold a Document of Compliance (DOC) and Safety Management Certificate (SMC).

B. The ISM Code is a voluntary industry guideline published by the ICS that sets out best practice for ship safety management. Compliance is required for ships over 3,000 GT only.

C. The ISM Code is an MCA statutory requirement published under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. It applies to all UK-flagged vessels regardless of size.

D. The ISM Code is mandatory under MARPOL Annex VI for vessels in emission control areas and requires a Safety Management System to be in place covering pollution prevention.

A. The Document of Compliance (DOC) is issued to the company by the flag state or a recognised organisation on its behalf, confirming the company's SMS meets ISM Code requirements. The Safety Management Certificate (SMC) is issued to each individual ship, confirming the ship's SMS operates in conformity with the approved DOC.

B. The DOC is issued to the master personally confirming the master is competent to manage the ship's SMS. The SMC is issued to the company for all its ships collectively.

C. Both the DOC and the SMC are issued to the ship by the port state control authority after a PSC inspection. They are valid for the port in which the inspection took place.

D. The DOC covers environmental management under MARPOL and the SMC covers safety management under SOLAS. Both are issued to the ship owner.