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Certification scheme to fulfill IMO requirements of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.

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Purpose

The objective is, in accordance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, to certify ship security of the following ships engaged on international voyages:

  • passenger ships, including high-speed passenger craft

  • cargo ships, including high-speed craft, of 500 gross tonnes and upwards

  • mobile (self-propelled) offshore drilling units

Benefits

ISPS services are provided by local DNV surveyors situated in survey stations in more than 100 countries. This means that more than 250 ISPS-qualified surveyors are available to you worldwide.

In the process of ISPS certification, audits that are combined with the ship’s International Safety Management (ISM) certification may be carried out in order to save time and money.

Features

An approved Ship Security Plan (SSP) and a full-term International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC) are issued to individual ships to fulfil mandatory security requirements stated by the IMO through the ISPS Code.

Provided DNV has full authorisation from the ship’s Flag Administration, the certification process will cover:

  • review of the SSA/SSP and approval of the SSP

  • interim Shipboard Verification

  • issuance of an interim International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC) that is valid for 6 months

  • initial Shipboard Verification done during the interim period

  • issuance of a full-term ISSC that is valid for 5 years

Process

For all ships, a Ship Security Assessment (SSA) has to be done and based on this a Ship Security Plan (SSP) has to be developed. The SSP shall be approved by the Flag Administration or one of their RSOs. To implement the SSP onboard, an interim audit is done and an interim International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC) of 6 month validity is issued.

Upon successful completion of an initial or renewal audit, an ISSC is issued with 5 years validity. Intermediate audit is carried out between the 2nd and 3rd anniversary of the certificate.

See also process flow chart.

Our experience

From start of establishing the ISPS Code, DNV has focused on developing our ISPS scheme. The aim has been to be authorised by major Flag State Authorities as Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) and DNV is now the RSO for more than 3500 vessels.