Introduction

The safety of life at sea, the marine environment and over 80% of the world's trade depends on the professionalism and competence of seafarers.

The IMO's International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978 was the first internationally-agreed Convention to address the issue of minimum standards of competence for seafarers. In 1995 the STCW Convention was completely revised and updated to clarify the standards of competence required and provide effective mechanisms for enforcement of its provisions.

In 1997, IMO adopted a resolution setting out its vision, principles and goals for the human element. The human element is a complex multi-dimensional issue that affects maritime safety, security and marine environmental protection involving the entire spectrum of human activities performed by ships' crews, shore based management, regulatory bodies and others. All need to co-operate to address human element issues effectively.

Since the 1980s IMO has increasingly addressed the people involved in shipping in its work. In 1989, IMO adopted Guidelines on management for the safe operation of ships and for pollution prevention - the forerunner of what became the International Safety Management (ISM) Code which was made mandatory through the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS).

The ISM Code is intended to improve the safety of international shipping and to reduce pollution from ships by impacting on the way shipping companies are managed and operated. The ISM Code establishes an international standard for the safe management and operation of ships and for the implementation of a safety management system (SMS).

Effective implementation of the ISM Code should lead to a move away from a culture of "unthinking" compliance with external rules towards a culture of "thinking" self-regulation of safety - the development of a 'safety culture'. The safety culture involves moving to a culture of self regulation, with every individual - from the top to the bottom - feeling responsible for actions taken to improve safety and performance.