Operational guide · SMS process

Management of Change (MoC)

Assess a change before introducing it: risks, approvals, people and documents, using a process proportionate to the change.

Management of ChangeMoCSMSrisk assessment

Operational Explanation

Management of Change (MoC) organizes assessment, authorization, implementation and monitoring of changes on board and ashore. It is a Company method for managing relevant ISM duties concerning risks, people, operations, equipment and documents; the Code does not prescribe a standalone process with this name.

The process covers request, assessment, controls, approvals and training before putting the change into service, followed by implementation checks. Residual risks must be assessed and controlled before use, not discovered only at closure. Temporary changes need a duration, owner and restoration or extension conditions.

Define proportionate change-assessment criteria in the SMS. An apparently small change may affect interfaces, certification or safety: calling it “minor” does not remove the need for assessment and approvals. Document why the chosen depth of assessment is appropriate.

Regulatory Reference

There is no single article of the ISM Code explicitly dedicated to MoC by name, and no paragraph imposes one standalone universal process. Formal MoC is a robust method — industry, TMSA or Company — for satisfying several Code obligations at once when a change affects risk, operations, personnel, equipment or controlled documents: assessment of all identified risks and appropriate safeguards (§1.2.2.2), procedures for key shipboard operations (§7), competence (§6) and document control (§11). Where the Company has adopted an MoC procedure, it is compliance with that procedure that is auditable.

Scope of Application

Every significant change at Company or ship level: new equipment or systems, procedural changes, changes to key manning, changes to operating routes, new types of cargo handled.

Procedure / How to Complete It

Describe the change, reason, urgency and duration; identify the owner.
Assess hazards, interfaces and statutory/class requirements; verify admissibility and approvals before proceeding.
Define controls and acceptance of residual risks at the competent level before putting the change into service.
Update procedures, drawings and documents; train and inform affected personnel.
Verify execution and start-up conditions; monitor results.
For temporary changes manage expiry, justified extension or restoration; record the final review.

Practical Example

Example: before carrying a new cargo type, verify that the ship, certificates, equipment and operating conditions permit it. Obtain flag/class approvals where required and assess compatibility, risks and competence. Authorise the operation only after these checks: the Technical Director’s signature does not extend a certificate or permit an excluded cargo.

What Typically Goes Wrong

Assess interactions with other systems and changes already under way. If unexpected conditions emerge, pause commissioning where necessary and review controls and approvals; closing a form alone does not establish that the arrangement is safe.

Common Mistakes Mistake Library

Mistake	Consequence	How to avoid it
Internal approval without checking statutory limits	Inadmissible activity despite a MoC	Verify certificates and approvals before operation
Residual risks addressed only at closure	Start-up with uncontrolled hazards	Controls and acceptance before use
Temporary change without expiry	Temporary arrangement becomes permanent without review	Owner, deadline and restoration or justified extension

What the PSCO Checks

The MoC process is not subject to direct PSC verification under this specific name, but its absence can emerge indirectly during the general assessment of the Safety Management System's effectiveness, especially if linked to a non-conformity related to a poorly managed change.

Operational Tips

Use a proportionate process, not an identical form for every change.
Do not use MoC to override certificates or applicable requirements.
Check controls before use and results after implementation, including temporary changes.

Preparation checklist

Educational checklist. This summary supports learning and preparation only. It does not replace the vessel’s approved procedures, manuals, statutory documents, company SMS, or applicable official requirements. Completing it demonstrates neither compliance nor readiness for an inspection: it shows that a list has been read, not that the ship is in order. Always verify the current documents carried on board.

Change and duration defined; owner assigned
Admissibility and statutory/class approvals checked
Residual risks and controls accepted before use
Personnel prepared and documents updated
Outcome verified and temporary changes restored or reviewed

FAQ

Does the Code prescribe a process named MoC?

No. It is a method for meeting risk, operation, personnel and document requirements; the Company’s adopted procedure must be followed.

Does it include temporary changes?

Yes, where relevant: define duration, conditions, owner and restoration. Urgency does not remove necessary controls or approvals.

When is residual risk assessed?

Before use, with adequate controls; subsequent review verifies outcomes and identifies unforeseen conditions.

Management of Change (MoC)

Operational Explanation

Regulatory Reference

Scope of Application

Procedure / How to Complete It

Practical Example

What Typically Goes Wrong

Common Mistakes Mistake Library

What the PSCO Checks

Operational Tips

Preparation checklist

FAQ

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