Praxis develops EU-hosted Full ISM safety management system

Praxis Yacht Services has recently added the provision of Full ISM Safety Management System (SMS) capabilities to its services for yacht and superyacht owners.

The comprehensive online system complies with the stringent safety standards of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. It allows owners and captains to run a complete safety system onboard, enhancing protections and mitigating risks. The platform helps them to manage day-to-day reporting and documentation management as well as procedures for internal audits.

The ISM Code was established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and provides guidelines for the safe management and operation of ships and marine environment protection. Under the ISM Code, yachts can follow an informal ISM, which Praxis had previously supported clients with, or commit to a Full ISM.

Praxis’ new service has been developed in-house by Giles Sedgman, Head of Safety Management and Designated Person Ashore (DPA) at Praxis Yacht Services. The service enables captains to carry out risk assessments and hazard identification, it provides a document management system, and a process for incident reporting and investigation, together with crew training and competency training management.

Giles said: ‘With safety being paramount in the maritime industry, we recognised the need for a robust Full SMS solution that streamlines safety processes to deliver maximum efficiencies for captains. Our online manual provides a framework and documentation tailored to each yacht and has also been developed by us to facilitate secure data storage within the EU, which is an important consideration for some clients.

‘With our solution, owners and captains can proactively manage safety risks, streamline compliance efforts, and ultimately safeguard their crew, their property, and the environment.’

As part of its commitment to providing clients with flexible and practical solutions, Praxis also gives captains the option to self-manage their safety management system. This light-touch service provides a set-up and periodic audit, with the DPA on hand to assist with any subsequent issues.

Praxis Group added yacht services to its range following the acquisition of Sarnia Yachts in 2023. It is one of the few yacht services providers to deliver the full service offering of ownership, crew and management.